ACR Supports Bill to Stabilize Medicare Physician Pay

This article was updated May 28, 2026, to reflect that the Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026 advanced out of the key U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means. 

The U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means recently advanced several healthcare bills, including the ACR®-supported Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026.

Reps. Greg Murphy, MD, R-N.C., and Brad Schneider, D-Ill., introduced the bill to change how Medicare applies budget neutrality in the physician fee schedule. The bill updates how Medicare applies budget neutrality in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS), the process by which payment increases are offset by cuts elsewhere in the MPFS.

H.R. 8163 would raise the budget neutrality threshold and allow fixes when CMS uses incorrect utilization data. It also would require more frequent updates to direct practice expense and limits annual conversion factor changes to +/- 2.5%.

ACR asserts the bill would reduce sharp payment swings and support long-term Medicare payment reform.

For more information, contact Rebecca Spangler, Senior Director of Government Affairs.