USPA Supports Call From Broad Cross-section of
Medical Device Manufacturers to Halt CMS Cuts

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Medical Device Manufacturers Association (MDMA), Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed), and the Medical Imaging Technology Alliance (MITA) sent a joint letter to U.S. House Speaker Pelosi and House Minority Leader McCarthy

 

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, United Specialists for Patient Access (USPA) voiced its support for the joint letter sent by three medical device trade associations. The Medical Device Manufacturers Association (MDMA), Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed), and the Medical Imaging Technology Alliance (MITA) sent a letter to the House leadership asking Congress to reverse the clinical labor cuts initiated by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in the 2022 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS). 

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CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE LETTER.

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Citing the growing health equity gap, the acceleration of health system consolidation, and the weakening of our ability to deal with the pandemic, USPA and its coalition allies have repeatedly sounded the alarm on the devastating impact the 20% clinical labor cuts will have on office-based specialty providers and the patients they care for. 

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Dr. Mark Garcia, USPA board member and CMO for American Vascular Associates, said “We are grateful for the support of the MDMA, AdvaMed, and MITA, and 17 other healthcare-related organizations, in this fight to reverse these devastating cuts initiated by CMS. We have bipartisan momentum to address the clinical labor policy cuts and give patients the care they deserve.”

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The joint letter states, in part, “We are writing in support of the request submitted by a large bipartisan group of Members of Congress seeking relief for office-based specialist physicians from cuts to Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) rates. The substantial reductions in Medicare non-facility payment for many procedures—which are the subject of a recent congressional letter organized by Rep. Bobby Rush and Rep. Gus Bilirakis, and which are currently being phased in over a four year period starting with the CY2022 payment year—could eliminate the physician office as a viable setting of care, thereby reducing treatment options for Medicare beneficiaries who may have difficulty accessing a hospital outpatient department (HOPD) or ambulatory surgery center (ASC)."

 

 

It continues, "The decision by CMS to phase-in the update over four years will not mitigate the impact these severe payment cuts will have on office-based specialists and the beneficiaries who rely upon them for care. For device-intensive PFS services, the phase-in will only delay the eventual unviability under the MPFS rather than preventing it, affecting the ability of patients to access proven treatments for a wide variety of conditions, including cancer, peripheral vascular disease, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and chronic wounds. It is difficult to believe that office-based physicians will continue offering a service for which the Medicare payment fails to cover even the cost of supplies—let alone physician work, malpractice expenses and other costs."

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About the United Specialists for Patient Access (USPA): The mission of USPA is to unify and strengthen the voice of office-based specialists, enabling professionals and patient advocates to work collaboratively with Congress and the Administration and achieve near-term relief and long-term payment stability in the Physician Fee Schedule.  For more information, please click here: https://www.uspaccess.org.