Large Coalition Backs Passage of “Holding Providers Harmless from Medicare Cuts During COVID-19 Act”

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In a Nov. 11 letter, 74 medical associations, including the American College of Radiology® (ACR®) and American Medical Association (AMA), thanked HR 8702 sponsors for introducing the legislation to halt Medicare payment cuts resulting from evaluation and management (E/M) code changes to start Jan. 1, 2021.

The ACR-led coalition copied congressional leaders on the letter, which supports the legislation and urges Congress to include HR 8702 protections in the next available legislative package passed during this session.

Known as the “Holding Providers Harmless from Medicare Cuts During COVID-19 Act,” HR 8702 enables pay increases for primary care and other providers who often provide E/M services, while avoiding devastating, corresponding cuts for millions of other providers due to Medicare’s budget neutrality requirements.

HR 8702 will provide two years of much-needed stability for Medicare providers as they continue to strive to meet patient needs during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

“Any Medicare payment cuts can only worsen the financial instability of healthcare provider practices already reeling from the pandemic and limit patient access to potentially lifesaving care. We call on Congress to pass the protections in HR 8702,” said Howard B. Fleishon, MD, MMM, FACR, Chair of the American College of Radiology Board of Chancellors.

The ACR will work with the coalition, HR 8702 cosponsors and other stakeholders to prevent the forthcoming payment reductions generated by the budget neutrality requirements within the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.

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SOURCE American College of Radiology