Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
CMS Proposes 3.3% Cut To Base Pay For Physicians In 2024
Stat: Medicare Eyes Cuts To Doctors, Raises To Outpatient Clinics In 2024
Physicians are in line to absorb more Medicare cuts next year, while hospital outpatient departments and surgery centers will get billions in new revenue. The base figure that determines how much physicians get paid by Medicare will decrease by 3.3% for 2024, the federal government said Thursday. The cuts will not be distributed equally among all specialties. Indeed, primary care doctors, endocrinologists, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants would see their Medicare payment rates rise, on average, according to the annual payment rule. (Herman, 7/13)
Politico: Biden Administration Proposes Cutting Physician Pay By 3.3 Percent
The proposed cut is already getting blowback from some provider groups. The Medical Group Management Association said the cut “further increases the gap between physician practice expenses and Medicare reimbursement rates.” This is the second consecutive year physicians face a cut to Medicare payments. Last November, CMS finalized a 4 percent pay cut for 2023. (King, 7/13)
In other developments —
Modern Healthcare: CMS Outpatient, Ambulatory Surgical Center Pay Rule Issued
Hospitals are set to receive a 2.8% increase in Medicare reimbursements for outpatient care in calendar 2024 under a proposed rule the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued Thursday. The American Hospital Association characterized the outpatient reimbursement increase as insufficient. (Berryman, 7/13)
Politico: Premium Increases Proposed For Public Worker Health Plans For 2024
Proposed rates — unveiled publicly during a meeting of the State Health Benefits Commission Wednesday — are approximately a 7.4 percent overall increase for combined current local government workers, early retirees, and Medicare retirees and 4.3 percent for current state government workers, early retirees, and Medicare retirees. The state-run program oversees public workers' health insurance for the state and local governments that choose to participate in it. (Han, 7/13)
Also —
KFF Health News: A Plan To Cut Montana’s Medicaid Waiting List Was Met With Bipartisan Cheers. Then A Veto
Montana state Sen. Becky Beard thought she’d found a fix for a shortage of assisted living care options for Montanans who can’t afford to pay for it themselves — a shortage she became aware of while searching for a suitable place for her mother to live. (Denison, 7/14)
