AOA Urges Support for Patients First Act
The Ohio Osteopathic Association joined the American Osteopathic Association on a letter submitted to Congress in support of legislation to modernize Medicare physician payments.
The letter to the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health was for their hearing on the Patients First Act. OOA is one of 62 osteopathic societies and colleges that signed on to the statement. Chairman John Joyce mentioned the letter in his press release for the Sept. 15 hearing.
“The American Osteopathic Association, alongside the 62 undersigned osteopathic specialty colleges and divisional societies – collectively representing more than 207,000 osteopathic physicians and medical students across the United States – share an unwavering belief that everyone deserves access to quality, affordable health care," AOA wrote. "Our organizations strongly support the introduction of the Patients First Act, which would bring Medicare physician payment into the 21st century while strengthening access to care for patients across the country. We urge you to pass this bipartisan legislation to ensure your constituents have access to the care they need.”
The Patients First Act would make numerous reforms that would drastically improve the Medicare payment ecosystem. It would:
- Include a permanent inflation-based update to the MPFS tied to the Medicare Economic Index, allowing physician payment to more accurately reflect the cost of providing care.
- Adjust the budget neutrality threshold, which has not been updated in decades.
- Increase the Geographic Practice Cost Index (GPCI) work floor with additional considerations for high-inflation years.
- Implement sweeping changes to the Medicare Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS).
