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Trump signs order seeking to end federal funding for NPR and PBS; NY immigrant wrongfully sent to El Salvador 'supermax' prison; PA 'Day of Action' planned for higher minimum wage, immigrants' rights; New bill in Congress seeks to overturn CA animal welfare law.

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National Security Advisor Mike Waltz is leaving that job to become UN ambassador, bipartisan Arizona poll finds Latino voters dissatisfied by Trump's first 100 days, and Florida mass deportations frighten community members.

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Rural students who face hurdles going to college are getting noticed, Native Alaskans may want to live off the land but obstacles like climate change loom large, and the Cherokee language is being preserved by kids in North Carolina.

Medicare payment cuts leave New England private practices in critical condition

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Monday, October 21, 2024   

Ongoing cuts to Medicare reimbursement rates are leaving New England private practices in critical condition.

Doctors said the outdated payment system is forcing them to close or consolidate, limiting patient access to lifesaving treatments.

Dr. Christopher Kwolek, chief medical officer of The Vascular Care Group, said outpatient facilities, which use high-cost equipment to treat heart disease, cancer and diabetes, are most at risk.

"We're trying to make care more cost-effective and more patient-centered and focused," Kwolek asserted. "And yet, with the current reimbursement mechanism, it's actually driving things in the opposite direction."

Kwolek pointed out Medicare does not cover the cost of care or physician pay for at least 300 office-based services. He argued without congressional action, patients will face longer wait times and increasingly higher prices.

The Office Based Facility Association, a coalition of health care specialists, is calling on lawmakers to reform what is known as the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, which determines what services are covered for what price. It is asking for a new payment model for outpatient providers and changes to how high-cost supplies are covered.

Jason McKitrick, executive director of the association, said failure to act will have widespread implications.

"We'll see more center closures, more consolidation, more migration of physicians to higher-cost sites of service," McKitrick contended. "It will take what is already a crisis and make it that much worse."

McKitrick noted outpatient centers, especially in rural areas, are efficient, have higher patient satisfaction rates and take pressure off community hospitals, which often face staffing shortages. A bipartisan group of more than 200 House members is urging leadership to prevent another cut to the reimbursement rate planned for next year and to draft legislation to avoid further cuts in the future.

Disclosure: Office-Based Facility Association contributes to our fund for reporting on Consumer Issues, Health Issues, and Mental Health. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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