AAHKS Writes Congress Seeking Medicare Cut Relief

Last week, AAHKS joined a surgical coalition of 47 organizations representing 1.2 million physician and non-physician providers urging Congress to halt the implementation of Healthcare Common Procedure Coding Systems add-on code G2211, set forth by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in the calendar year (CY) 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) proposed rule. Absent congressional intervention, this code and the resulting Medicare payment cuts will negatively impact many medical practices and threaten patients’ timely access to care. The G2211 add-on code was finalized despite major objections from the clinician community, the AMA Specialty Society RVS Update Committee (RUC), and the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC). As a result of these code changes, MPFS expenditures were estimated to increase by over $11 billion, requiring CMS to reduce the CY 2021 conversion factor (CF) to comply with Medicare’s budget neutrality requirements. While primary care and other office-based specialties were slated to realize significant payment increases resulting from these code changes (irrespective of the reductions to the CF), many specialties — including those physician and non-physician clinicians who rarely, if ever, bill E/M — were slated for steep payment cuts if the G2211 code was implemented. For more information, read the letters: House Letter | Senate Letter