Cuts to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule

Floor Speech

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Mr. WENSTRUP. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because I am deeply concerned by the impact that recent cuts to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule will have on patient access to healthcare across our great country.

On January 1, 2024, a 3.4 percent Medicare cut took effect, impacting providers all across the United States. This is in addition to previous cuts.

Providers have continued to bear the cost of many challenges that arose during the pandemic and after the pandemic, including staffing shortages, supply chain shortages, and continuing rising inflation--all of these.

As the cost of providing care continues to rise, the reimbursement to physicians who provide the care continues to be cut.

If we do not swiftly act to address these cuts now and in the long term, patients will suffer the most. The physician shortage will continue to worsen.

Hospitals and independent community-based providers will continue to shutter their doors, and, sadly, America's seniors will be left with no option for high-quality, affordable healthcare.

I urge congressional leadership to put the health of Americans first by stopping the Medicare cuts and ensuring that patients and Medicare beneficiaries have access to the providers who care for them by not cutting them out.

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