CardioVascular Coalition Calls for Immediate Congressional Action to Prevent Further Clinical Labor Cuts

Washington, DC— Today, the CardioVascular Coalition (CVC) – a coalition of physicians, care providers, advocates, and manufacturers — is calling on Congress to step in and stop the cuts to revascularization services included in the finalized 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) Rule.

The CMS-initiated reductions mean that certain office-based specialists will again be cut by another 6 - 7% in 2024. These year-over-year cuts are being implemented without regard to patient outcomes, actual PFS provider resource needs, or any other rationale policy.

The CardioVascular Coalition (CVC) strongly supports the Providing Relief and Stability for Medicare Patients Act of 2023 (H.R. 3674), introduced by Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL-12), Rep. Tony Cardenas (D-CA-29), Rep. Greg Murphy, MD (R-NC-3), and Rep. Danny Davis (IL-D-7). This bipartisan legislation will prevent ongoing cuts to office-based specialists for the next two years. By doing so, it helps stop major disruptions for patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) and coronary artery disease (CAD).

.

Amidst a barrage of reductions in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) over recent years, with decreases surpassing 20% stemming from the 2022 Physician Fee Schedule and clinical labor policy, these ongoing cuts will exacerbate the financial strain on healthcare providers during a period of unparalleled economic instability.

If the cuts are left unaddressed, the end result will be providers closing their doors, therefore depriving peripheral artery disease patients of care in the outpatient settings they prefer. The CVC believes that the cuts will worsen health equity problems and accelerate the consolidation trend across the United States.

“The CVC is gravely concerned how these ongoing cuts would increase instability and further limit patient access to revascularization services that are critical for patients and reduce costs,” said vascular & interventional radiology specialist Jerry Niedzwiecki, MD. “We are asking for Congress to step in and stop these cuts from harming patients and forcing providers to close their doors. H.R. 3674 is a bipartisan solution that can pass before the end of the year, but Congress must make this a priority.”

Dr. Niedzwiecki continued, “To address the issues of patient access and systemic health inequity in our country, Congress must pass the Providing Relief and Stability for Medicare Patients Act of 2023 (H.R. 3674). Further, CMS must work closely with Congress to fundamentally reform the Physician Fee Schedule so that any future unjustified cuts to specialty provider services can be avoided.”