- Home
- Advocacy
- Latest News and Practice Data
- House Bill Would Mitigate 2022 Medicare Cuts to Pathologists and Respond to CAP Advocacy
New legislation introduced in the House of Representatives would extend relief that physicians received from Medicare cuts for 2021 through 2022.
CAP President Emily E. Volk, MD, FCAP thanked Reps. Ami Bera, MD (D-CA) and Larry Bucshon, MD (R-IN) for introducing the Supporting Medicare Providers Act of 2021 on November 19.
“On behalf of pathologists serving seniors in communities across the country, the CAP strongly urges Congress to address the pending Medicare cuts to all pathology services by enacting Reps. Bera and Bucshon’s bill into law,” Dr. Volk said. “If the relief prescribed in their legislation is not granted, the effect of these cuts will be felt in every state and will further exacerbate health care disparities that exist in rural and urban areas. Our chief concern is that if the Medicare cuts go through in 2022, access to health care services will decrease disproportionally and will grossly affect the physicians caring for our most vulnerable patients.”
Reps. Bera and Bucshon led the successful effort last year to mitigate proposed cuts in health care payments, including introducing the bipartisan Holding Providers Harmless from Medicare Cuts During COVID-19 Act of 2020 and leading the coalition of Members and stakeholders advocating for the final relief passed by Congress. In December 2020, lawmakers followed through by including a 3.75% Medicare payment increase, which mitigated budget neutrality cuts stemming from the CMS’s policy to increase payment for evaluation and management services, for the 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and pausing budgetary sequestration cuts.
The CAP has supported this relief be extended for another year. The Supporting Medicare Providers Act of 2021 would do just that by extending the 3.75% adjustment for an additional year.