The Tennessee Medical Association (TMA) signed onto a letter on Monday with the American Medical Association (AMA) and fellow state medical societies expressing support for H.R. 9693, the "Patients First Act."  This bipartisan legislation would reform the Medicare physician payment system into one that is stable, predictable, and takes into account the inflated cost of providing healthcare. 

Physicians continue to be the only Medicare provider type that does not receive annual payment updates related to inflation. This can be tracked back to 2001, as Medicare physician payment has dropped 33 percent since then. 

"The Patients First Act addresses these structural flaws," reads the letter. "It establishes a permanent annual payment update linked to the Medicare Economic Index; modernizes outdated budget neutrality policies to prevent destabilizing across-the-board cuts; replaces the Merit-based Incentive Payment System with a streamlined, clinician-driven quality program that reduces penalties and administrative burden; and preserves meaningful incentives for physicians participating in alternative payment models." 

To read the full letter, click here. 

TMA supports the passage of the Patients First Act and will continue to provide updates on all fronts of Medicare reform. To learn how you can help get this legilsation passed, email TMA at advocacy@tnmed.org.