Press Release (DC Office)

Neurosurgeons Raise Concerns Over Medicare Payment Challenges Facing Surgical Care

September 12, 2024
Print View PDF


Neurosurgeons Raise Concerns Over Medicare Payment Challenges Facing Surgical Care
Groups state reforms are needed to the MPFS to preserve patient access to care.

Washington, DC—Today, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) urge Congress to take immediate action to reform the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) and preserve patient access to surgical care. In a statement issued by the Surgical Coalition, the groups express concern that the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) continues to put forth annual regulations that exacerbate the underlying problems within the broken Medicare physician payment system. The MPFS often serves as the benchmark for determining payment rates for Medicaid and other payers, so Medicare payment cuts have a cascading effect.

Surgeons are expecting a minimum 2.8% cut due to temporary congressional relief set to expire at the end of the year. Previously, relief was provided to mitigate reductions resulting from long-term problems with the statutory budget neutrality requirement and its impact on the Medicare conversion factor. This budget neutrality rule has led to significant cuts to specialists, including neurosurgeons, over the years.

Click here to view the full Neurosurgeons Raise Concerns Over Medicare Payment Challenges Facing Surgical Care.