Despite strong advocacy from APTA, the American Medical Association, and more than 100 other patient and provider groups, Congress is likely to leave Capitol Hill without addressing a 3.4% cut to payment under Medicare Part B, closing the last window that would've prevented the cuts from taking effect Jan. 1. With the cuts now almost certain to be implemented, the next opportunity to provide relief will come in January, when Congress must act on government funding by Jan. 17. Fortunately, groundwork has been laid for a needed change, thanks to a recently introduced APTA-supported bipartisan bill that would fully offset the reductions.

The bill, H.R. 6683, introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, would provide full relief from the cuts, and make that relief retroactive to the Jan. 1 implementation date. APTA has joined with AMA and other provider groups to urge lawmakers to include the legislation in whatever package Congress adopts to fund the government in 2024, and the association is urging members and supporters to voice support for the bill with their lawmakers though the APTA Patient Action Center or Legislative Action Center. Both resources make the process fast and easy.

Support for the legislation in the House is growing. Recently, more than 190 representatives signed onto a letter urging congressional leaders to prevent the cuts, writing that "physicians and other healthcare providers, who are confronting inflationary pressures and workforce shortages, need Congress to prevent this cut, which will add significant burdens to the healthcare infrastructure and the communities they serve."

Of the pathways available to Congress to address the cuts, reaching a solution before December recess was the least likely to be taken, according to Justin Elliott, APTA vice president of government affairs. But that doesn't make lawmakers' inaction any less disappointing.

"Once again, Congress is unnecessarily putting patient care at risk and adding unsustainable burden to providers through its inability to get things done on Capitol Hill," Elliott said. "There's a bipartisan opportunity for lawmakers to do the right thing and provide relief in January, but that relief must follow what's laid out in H.R. 6683 — full elimination of the 3.4% cuts."

In addition to the need for contacting lawmakers through the APTA patient and legislative action centers, Elliott believes it's important for members and supporters to use the recess as an opportunity to meet with their representatives while they're home — particularly now that a bill has been introduced.

"Be on the lookout for opportunities to meet in person with legislators while they're home, even if it's just for a few minutes," Elliott said. "Let them know how important it is for patient care that these cuts be countered, and that there's bipartisan legislation already on the table. Those conversations can mean a lot."

Reps. Greg Murphy, R-Md.; Danny Davis, D-Ill.; Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio; Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif.; Larry Bucshon, R-Ind.; and Michael Burgess, R-Texas, introduced H.R. 6683. The effort to create a bipartisan letter urging action was led by Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa; Ami Bera, D-Calif.; Kim Schrier, D-Wash.; and Bucshon.