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H.R. 3674, the “Providing Relief and Stability for Medicare Patients Act of 2023” is bipartisan legislation that mitigates cuts to office-based specialists and avoids significant disruptions in patient access to care.

 

Office-based specialty care is a critical service outside of the hospital setting. These specialists provide a wide range of services to patients with cancer, end-stage renal disease, eye disease, fibroids, as well as limb salvage and venous ulcer needs. The office setting is also critical for patient access (especially in rural and underserved areas) and lower patient copays. Unfortunately, the prolonged instability within the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS)—driven by statutory payment cuts, perennial lack of inflationary updates, significant administrative barriers, and the cumulative impact of the pandemic—is jeopardizing the financial viability of many community, office-based, physician practices.

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H.R. 3674 would provide targeted relief for office-based practices that utilize high-tech medical devices and/or equipment and thus were most negatively impacted in the 2022 PFS with the updating of the clinical labor costs in the budget neutral practice expense methodology.

 

Failure to pass H.R. 3674 will result in more providers leaving the field (either through retirement or career adjustment), more practices being closed or sold, and a significant number of patients losing access to a variety of healthcare services in their communities.