Federal Legislation Averts Severe Physician Reimbursement Reductions in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for 2022

Looming Medicare spending cuts that would have resulted in a combined 9.75% payment cut for physician practices on January 1, 2022, have been averted as a result of the passage of the Protecting Medicare & American Farmers from Sequester Cuts Act passed by Congress on December 10, 2021, and signed into law on December 11, 2021.

ISASS shared our concerns directly with the CMS and Congress to advocate for your reimbursement, and we thank those of you who also contacted your representatives to address this important issue. Our voices were heard!

Highlights of the new physician payment provisions include:

• A delay in resuming the 2% Medicare sequester for 3 months (January 1 through March 31, 2022), followed by a reduction to 1% for 3 months (April 1 through June 30, 2022).
• A 1-year, 3% increase in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule conversion factor.
• Removal of the 4% Medicare PAYGO cut and prevention of any additional PAYGO cuts through 2022.

To read ISASS’ proposed rule comment letter calling for this action, see attached