APTQI Hails Bipartisan Bill to Cancel Damaging Medicare Cuts in 2025

Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act spearheaded by Representatives Greg Murphy, M.D. (R-NC) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) promises to undo the disruptive -2.8% cut to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) and provide an update to specialty healthcare providers in 2025

Washington, D.C. –– Today APTQI praised a bipartisan group of lawmakers for introducing the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act of 2025. If passed, the legislation would reverse the serious -2.8% Medicare cut that went into effect on January 1 and provide a 2% Medicare update for 2025 to specialty healthcare providers, including physical and occupational therapists.

The bill is spearheaded by Representatives Greg Murphy, M.D. (R-NC) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) with an influential group of bipartisan lawmakers also signing on as co-sponsors, including Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D. (R-IA), Kim Schrier, M.D. (D-WA), John Joyce, M.D. (R-PA), Raul Ruiz, M.D. (D-CA), Carol Miller (R-WV), Ami Bera, M.D. (D-CA), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL).

Providing a 2% reimbursement update to providers will help stabilize the country’s healthcare system, which is grappling with years of dramatic cost increases coupled with cuts in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS). With inflation continuing to rise, lower Medicare reimbursement threatens to destabilize the nation’s healthcare system. If not addressed, the cuts now in effect will further disrupt the ability of physical and occupational therapists to provide high-quality, cost-effective care to older Americans.

“At a time when the cost of maintaining a practice and providing care is unsustainable, it is critical for policymakers to provide annual updates to Medicare reimbursement instead of implementing year after year of successive cuts, the latest of which went into effect on January 1,” said Nikesh Patel, PT, Executive Director of APTQI. “We thank Dr. Murphy, Rep. Panetta, and their bipartisan colleagues for championing the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act, which will provide needed stability to physical and occupational therapists in 2025.”

“To ultimately help strengthen access to care for millions of older patients, we urge Congress to pass this important legislation as soon as possible, including in any upcoming package to fund the federal government beyond March,” continued Patel.

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