The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services move arrives as medical practices struggle against rising operational costs. While inflation-adjusted Medicare payments have declined by 33% since 2001, practice expenses have climbed 59%. Industry experts project a shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036, driven by an aging workforce and a surge in patients requiring specialized care. Dr. Nicholas Grosso, President of the Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics, noted that further reimbursement reductions jeopardize the availability of local, timely treatment for an aging population.

To counter these cuts, advocates are pushing for the Patients First Act (H.R. 9693). This bipartisan legislation aims to permanently link Medicare payment updates to inflation, effectively ending the cycle of annual cuts and temporary legislative patches. The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics is urging patients and providers to contact their federal representatives to support the measure, arguing that current funding levels threaten to create longer wait times and restricted care options for vulnerable seniors.