As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, a critical issue threatens to undermine access to care for millions of Americans: the outdated Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS). In a recent commentary titled Access to Care at Risk If Doctor Payment System Isn’t Fixed, published by Medscape, ACR President Carol Langford, MD, MHS, issues a stark warning. If Congress does not act soon to reform the physician payment system, she cautions, patients may face increasing difficulty accessing essential medical services.
The MPFS, which determines how physicians are reimbursed for services provided to Medicare beneficiaries, has long been criticized for its lack of adaptability and fairness. According to Dr. Langford, the current system fails to reflect the true value of complex care, particularly in specialties like rheumatology, where time-intensive patient management is the norm.
Dr. Langford emphasizes that this is not just a physician issue—it is a patient issue. “When doctors can’t afford to provide care, patients suffer,” she notes. The ripple effects could include longer wait times, reduced access to specialists and poorer health outcomes across the board.
To address these concerns, the ACR is urging members to contact their lawmakers to support the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act. The bill aims to stabilize physician payments and protect patient access to care by aligning reimbursement with the actual cost of delivering high-quality medical services. The time to act is now—visit the Legislative Action Center and write to your legislators today.
