How Idaho seniors can avoid losing access to health care • Idaho Capital Sun

Imagine a senior in Idaho trying to schedule a routine doctor’s appointment. Now imagine that despite the need for basic care, they find that fewer doctors are available, wait times are longer, and barriers to treatment are increasing.

This scenario could become a harsh reality if Congress does not take action to reform Medicare physician compensation. H.R. 10073, the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act, could help us avert this grim future. Members of Idaho’s congressional delegation such as U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo would have a deciding vote on the proposal.

Congress’ inaction on payments to Medicare physicians poses an imminent threat to patient access. Planned cuts to Medicare reimbursements in 2025 put our nation’s elderly at risk of being unable to find a doctor when they need it most need. Medicare recipients, some of our most vulnerable neighbors, depend on Congress to act quickly and decisively.

Congress has paused proposed payment cuts for years — often in a hasty, last-minute move — but failed to enact lasting, meaningful reform. These short-term band-aids have only further prolonged the challenges facing healthcare professionals caring for Medicare patients. Now we are at a turning point.

Without action from Congress, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will legislate 2.8% reduction in Medicare reimbursements The launch will take place in January 2025 as part of a proposed measure to offset improvements in payment policy. Physicians who have suffered four years of relentless inflation will face further financial constraints, and this burden will inevitably impact patient care.

It is important to understand that physicians are unique among healthcare providers. Unlike hospitals or nursing facilities, doctors do not receive annual inflation adjustments in their Medicare payments. This shortage is not just a minor inconvenience – it is a structural weakness that is compounding the economic pressures facing physicians, especially in the wake of the pandemic and amid ongoing healthcare inflation.

The numbers paint a sobering picture. The cost of running a medical practice is rose decreased by over 50% between 2001 and 2024. Still, payments to Medicare doctors fell 29%, adjusted for inflation, over the same period. While hospital payments have increased nearly 80% since 2001, physician payments have only increased about 10%. Yet doctors remain crucial to our healthcare system, providing everything from preventative care to life-saving treatments.

The pressure on doctors is not just financial. Burnout and overwhelming workloads have left one in five doctors considering leaving their practice within two years. Imagine the profound impact this could have on our communities: fewer available doctors, more overwhelmed remaining doctors, and delays in care that could be life-threatening for seniors.

HR 10073 provides a much-needed solution. Passage of this bill would prevent the 2.8% payment cut from taking effect and instead provide a 1.8% update for 2025, equal to half of the Medicare Economic Index. This stabilization would ensure that medical practices remain viable and continue to provide seniors with the high-quality care they deserve.

But that’s not enough. Congress could also consider enacting legislation for a permanent, inflation-based update to the Medicare physician fee schedule to provide physicians with a predictable and sustainable payment framework.

Senator Crapo has always been a champion for Idaho’s seniors. HR 10073 is a concrete measure that prioritizes the health of our seniors and ensures physicians are able to provide the care they need.