Neurosurgery Leads Efforts to Prevent Medicare Payment Cuts

The AANS and the CNS continue to lead legislative efforts to prevent steep Medicare payment cuts from going into effect on Jan. 1, 2021. On Sept. 18, the AANS and the CNS joined 20 other surgical organizations in sending a letter to each member of the House of Representatives, urging Congress to prevent Medicare physician payment cuts. Specifically, the letter asks Congress to pass legislation that:

• Increases the global surgery codes;
• Halts implementation of the add-on code for complex E/M visits; and
• Prevents any cuts resulting from the new E/M payment policies.

On Sept. 24, the neurosurgical groups also joined the Alliance of Specialty Medicine (Alliance) in a letter to House and Senate leaders urging them “to act before the end of the year to prevent significant Medicare pay cuts.” The letter points out “that these steep cuts could have serious financial consequences for physicians who are already under financial distress due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”