Submitted on Tue, 12/22/2020 - 00:00

A Quick Video from PPS President Mike Horsfield: Medicare Payment Cuts

On December 21,2020, Congress passed legislation that addresses COVID relief and the 9% cut implemented by the CY 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. The provisions related to the fee schedule include the following:

  • Physical therapists will receive an approximate 3.6% payment cut, effective January 1, 2021 (down from the original 9%). This is an estimate based on several different factors related to conversion factors and changes in budget neutrality. More details on these calculations will be provided later.

  • The moratorium on the 2% Sequestration cut will be extended for three months, making this cut effective April 1st instead of January 1st.

The intensive advocacy efforts from PPS, APTA, and over 60 allied organizations did garner attention in Congress, however their response was not sufficient. Members of Congress have yet to understand that ANY cuts to physical therapy services jeopardize access to care for Medicare patients by putting physical therapy clinics at risk for closure.

 

It is clear that the current payment system pitting provider against provider to maintain budget neutrality, does not reflect the modern healthcare delivery system and its interdisciplinary nature. We are committed to fighting for adequate and fair payment for private practice physical therapists and will work with all stakeholders to find new ways to ensure our message is heard and to achieve the necessary change.

 

Take care,

Mike Horsfield, PT, MBA

PPS President