The California Medical Association (CMA) applauds the introduction of the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act, authored by Representatives Raul Ruiz, M.D. (D-CA) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), a bipartisan bill that confronts decades of chronic underinvestment in Medicare physician payments by providing an annual payment update based on the reasonable Medicare Economic Index. Without Congressional action, inadequate and unstable payment rates will continue to force physicians out of the program-threatening access for millions of Californians. 

"Medicare's chronic underinvestment has pushed physician practices to the brink, and patients are already feeling the consequences," said CMA President Rene Bravo, M.D. "This bipartisan bill is an essential step toward stabilizing the system and protecting seniors' access to care. We are grateful to Congressmen Ruiz and Bilirakis for their leadership."

Across the country, physicians are increasingly unable to accept new Medicare patients, must limit patient volume, or are being forced to close their practices altogether. The cost of operating a medical practice has risen 47%, while Medicare physician payments have declined 33% since 2001-and the program still lacks a reliable annual inflation update.

CMA strongly urges the California delegation to co-sponsor and move this legislation forward to ensure seniors and all Medicare beneficiaries can continue to access the care they need.