Neurosurgery Joins Alliance in Supporting Medicare Patient Empowerment Act

On June 3, the AANS and the CNS joined the Alliance of Specialty Medicine in endorsing the Medicare Patient Empowerment Act (S. 826/H.R. 3322). In May, the neurosurgery groups sent letters of support to the bill’s sponsors — Sens. Rand Paul, MD, (R-Ky.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas). This legislation would ensure that Medicare beneficiaries can seek care from the physician of their choice by allowing patients and providers to privately contract for Medicare-covered services without penalty. Under current law, Medicare beneficiaries that choose to see physicians who do not accept Medicare must pay the physician’s charge entirely out of personal funds. In addition, physicians who privately contract must opt-out of the Medicare program for two years.

Click here to read the Senate letter and here to read the letter to the House.