MedPage Today April 22, 2019
-Could result in access problems for beneficiaries down the line, Medicare trustees say
WASHINGTON — Medicare physician payment increases aren’t likely to keep up with physicians’ costs over the long run, which could eventually curtail beneficiaries’ access to care, the Medicare trustees said in a report issued Monday.
“Certain features of current law may result in some challenges for the Medicare program,” the trustees wrote. “Physician payment update amounts are specified for all years in the future, and these amounts do not vary based on underlying economic conditions, nor are they expected to keep pace with the average rate of physician cost increases. These rate updates could be an issue in years when levels of inflation are high and would...
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