ACS opposes proposed Medicare physician fee schedule

Editor's Note

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) on August 4 announced that it is strongly opposed to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule for CY 2021.

In the fee schedule, which is set to take place January 1, 2021, Medicare payments will be cut:

• 7% for general surgery
• 9% for cardiac surgery
• 8% for thoracic surgery
• 7% for vascular surgery
• 7% for neurosurgery
• 6% for ophthalmology.

A recent survey found that one-in-three private surgical practices are at risk of closing because of the financial strain from COVID-19. The proposed rule will likely force surgeons to take fewer Medicare patients, leading to reduced access to care for older patients, ACS says.