Dermatologists, patients unite to battle 2024 Medicare physician payment cuts

In late 2023, CMS released the 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule rule with significant changes to fee-for-service payments and the Quality Payment Program. As a result of the AADA’s advocacy efforts, the final rule included several significant wins, including maintaining the 2024 MIPS performance threshold at 75 points, and allowing physicians to use their practice location instead of their home address for telehealth services provided from home.

However, CMS revised the 2024 Medicare conversion factor to $32.7442, reflecting a 3.37% decrease in physician payment from 2023. Fighting to eliminate the 2024 Medicare physician payment cuts remains AADA’s top advocacy priority.

During the 2023 Legislative Conference, AADA members met with over 200 congressional offices, urging Congress to stop the cuts to Medicare physician payment and implement long-term reform.

The AADA also communicated with Congress through multiple avenues, including sending 10 letters to Congress and supported H.R. 2474, the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act, which would tie physician payment to the Medicare Economic Index. Thus far, there are 82 bipartisan cosponsors signed onto the legislation. The AADA also encouraged its members to engage in grassroots efforts which resulted in 1,213 members sending 3,545 messages that reached 333 representatives and 87 senators. Prior to the end of 2023, Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC) and the Doc Caucus led the introduction of the Preserving Seniors Access to Physicians Act (H.R. 6683), which would fully reverse the 3.4% cut. The bill currently has 45 cosponsors.

Unfortunately, Congress concluded its 2023 session without acting to mitigate or cancel the 3.37% cut to dermatology’s Medicare reimbursement. In 2024, the Medicare physician payment cuts took effect, and the AADA is advocating to mitigate the cuts.

Your Academy has not backed down. In early 2024, the AADA initiated a campaign encouraging dermatology patients to call on Congress to fix Medicare cuts that threaten health care access. The AADA developed a flyer for dermatologists to share with patients with a QR code on how to contact their member of Congress — making it simple and easy for dermatologists and patients alike to advocate to #Stopthecuts. The Academy will continue to put the pressure on Congress to reverse these detrimental payment cuts. Find out how you can take action.