MedPAC Proposes Increased Healthcare Provider Payments During January Meeting

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) met virtually Jan. 11–12 to prepare several draft recommendations for its March 2024 Report to Congress. MedPAC is a non-partisan, independent legislative branch commission created to advise Congress about Medicare-related issues.

During the session dedicated to assessing payment adequacy and updating payments for physicians and other health services, MedPAC commissioners voted unanimously to recommend that Congress should:

• Update the 2024 Medicare base payment rate for physicians and other health professional services for 2025 by the amount specified in current law, plus 50% of the projected increase in the Medicare Economic Index (MEI).
• Enact the commission’s March 2023 recommendation to establish safety-net add-on payments under the Physician Fee Schedule for services delivered to low-income Medicare beneficiaries.

This would result in a one-year cost of $2 billion to $5 billion, and a five-year cost of $10 billion to $25 billion. The recommendation should also maintain beneficiaries’ access to both primary and specialty care and maintain or improve access to care for low-income beneficiaries.

During the next session, assessing payment adequacy and updating payments for hospital inpatient and outpatient services, MedPAC commissioners voted on the following recommendation: Official public comment letters submitted within 14 days following the public meeting will be posted on MedPAC’s website.

For questions, contact Kimberly Greck, American College of Radiology® Senior Economic Policy Analyst.