ICYMI: 75 Medical Groups Urge Senate to Protect Medicare Access in Budget Reconciliation Bill | Newswise
Newswise — Washington, DC — Seventy-five national clinician and professional medical organizations – led by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), and the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) – sent a joint letter to Senate Republican leadership urging the Senate to include a critical provision to protect access to care for seniors and individuals with disabilities who rely on traditional Medicare. Specifically, the coalition calls for adopting Section 44304 of the House-passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1), which would provide annual, inflation-based updates to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) beginning in 2026.
“Our historic 75-member coalition reflects an extraordinary alignment of bedside professionals committed to the care of seniors and the disabled,” said Alexander Khalessi, MD, MBA, Chair of the AANS/CNS Washington Committee. “The House offered a strong first step towards sustainability for clinicians and continuity of care for all Americans. The Senate must not let this moment pass.”
In a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and Majority Whip John Barrasso, M.D. (R-Wyo.), the coalition emphasized that the provision is crucial for preserving access to care for the 34 million seniors in traditional Medicare and the over three million individuals under 65 with disabilities or end-stage renal disease. The groups also urged Senate leaders to revive the bipartisan physician payment reform working group to pursue longer-term solutions.
To read the full letter and view the list of 75 participating organizations, click here.
This effort reflects the latest in a series of advocacy actions by the AANS and CNS throughout the reconciliation process to support commonsense, patient-centered policies. In addition to leading a comprehensive response on Medicare and Medicaid reforms, neurosurgery also joined a separate letter as part of the Trauma Coalition, focused specifically on preserving Medicaid funding for trauma care. These efforts were accompanied by coalition advocacy on independent practice tax policy and federal student loan reforms that strengthen the physician workforce.
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The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), founded in 1931, and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), founded in 1951, are the two largest scientific and educational associations for neurosurgical professionals in the world. These groups represent over 10,000 neurosurgeons worldwide. Neurological surgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disorders that affect the entire nervous system, including the spinal column, spinal cord, brain and peripheral nerves. For more information, please visit www.aans.org, www.cns.org and www.neurosurgery.org.
Founded in 1905, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) is an educational, research and scientific society with more than 59,000 members organized to advance the medical practice of anesthesiology and secure its future. ASA is committed to ensuring anesthesiologists evaluate and supervise the medical care of all patients before, during and after surgery. ASA members also lead the care of critically ill patients in intensive care units, as well as treat pain in both acute and chronic settings. For more information on the field of anesthesiology, visit the American Society of Anesthesiologists online at asahq.org. To learn more about how anesthesiologists help ensure patient safety, visit asahq.org/madeforthismoment. Follow ASA on Facebook, X, Instagram, Bluesky, and LinkedIn.
With more than 39,000 members, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons is the world’s largest medical association of musculoskeletal specialists. The AAOS is the trusted leader in advancing musculoskeletal health. It provides the highest quality, most comprehensive education to help orthopaedic surgeons and allied health professionals at every career level to best treat patients in their daily practices. The AAOS is the source for information on bone and joint conditions, treatments and related musculoskeletal healthcare issues; and it leads the healthcare discussion on advancing quality.
