Last Updated: Jun 21, 2023

At the annual meeting of the American Medical Association (AMA), Pennsylvania Medical Society (PAMED) leadership drove the passage of a resolution to address the need for permanent and meaningful Medicare payment reform. Leadership from the Pennsylvania AMA Delegate, in partnership with the leaders of the Florida and Texas state delegations, presented the resolution at the AMA annual meeting, stating that this type of reform is critical for physicians’ practice sustainability and to protect senior citizens’ access to care.

Scott E. Shapiro, MD, Chair of the Pennsylvania Delegation to the AMA, said “Medicare’s recognized flawed payment formula has become a concerning access to care issue for patients across Pennsylvania. Washington must tackle this issue efficiently and effectively before more patients lose access to care. Bottom line: with Medicare payment rates lower now than they were 25 years ago practices are no longer able to afford to care for Medicare patients if rates are not corrected soon.”

In the face of inflation, the COVID pandemic, and growing costs of running a medical practice, physicians have struggled to keep open their doors, jeopardizing access to care. According to the AMA, not only have Medicare payments failed to respond, but physicians saw a 2% payment reduction for 2023, creating an additional challenge at a perilous moment. Physicians are one of the only Medicare providers without an inflationary payment update.

The passage of the resolution issues the AMA to build a multipronged campaign on addressing the issue on a national level.

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Media Contact:

Myla Merkel, Pennsylvania Medical Society

(717)909-2654

MediaRelations@pamedsoc.org