APTQI Advocates Meet with Congress to Urge Reversal of Across-the-Board Medicare Cuts

At a recent virtual fly-in, advocates urged Members of Congress to reverse the 4.5 percent conversion factor cuts included in the CY 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) Final Rule

Washington, DC – Over 100 advocates from The Alliance for Physical Therapy Quality & Innovation (APTQI) met virtually with Members of Congress on Thursday to urge lawmakers to take action to reverse Medicare’s final 4.5 percent cut to physicians, including physical and occupational therapy providers. The cuts, which will total nine percent from 2020 to 2024 when combined with reductions that have been previously implemented and those slated for future years, threaten seniors’ access to safe, vital, and effective therapy services. Fly-in participants called on Congress to address the cuts in any year-end legislation package.

In response to the steep cuts, Representatives Ami Bera, MD (D-CA) and Larry Bucshon, MD (R-IN) introduced the Supporting Medicare Providers Act of 2022 (H.R. 8800) to protect patients and providers. If passed, the legislation would provide a 4.42 percent positive adjustment to the MPFS conversion factor cut set to go into effect on January 1.

“It’s encouraging to see so many members of the physical therapy community take action and directly call on our leaders in Congress to stop these harmful Medicare payment cuts from taking effect,” said Nikesh Patel, PT, Executive Director of APTQI. “These payment cuts are extremely concerning to our entire sector, and we hope lawmakers clearly heard the concerns we have and quickly pass H.R. 8800,” he added.

With a broad reliance on therapy services to improve balance, prevent falls, recover from injuries and illness, and remain independent while aging, physical therapy patients are increasingly concerned about what these cuts will mean for their access to care. Recent polling from Morning Consult and APTQI found that 88 percent of Americans over the age of 65 expressed concerns that Medicare payment cuts may eliminate alternatives for therapy outside of nursing homes and eliminate seniors’ ability to “age in place.”

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