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On Friday, December 23, 2022, the House of Representatives passed the 2023 Omnibus Appropriations bill. The bill passed the Senate on Thursday, December 22, and President Biden subsequently signed the bill into law.
Due to the efforts of APMA and numerous other specialties and stakeholders, the Omnibus bill contains Section 4112, which provides additional support for physicians and other health-care professionals in adjusting to Medicare payment changes. While this additional support does not avert the full anticipated 4.5-percent cut, it provides some relief against the cost pressures facing podiatric physicians and other health-care providers.
The bill waives the 4-percent statutory pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) sequester cuts scheduled for 2023 and partially reduces the physician fee schedule cuts scheduled for 2023, limiting the expected reduction in Medicare physician pay to 2 percent in 2023. The cuts would increase to 3.5 percent in 2024 if no further action is taken. The bill includes a two-year extension to telehealth waivers, through December 31, 2024, including the waivers on geographic site restrictions and audio-only telehealth. The bill allows continued flexibility in providing telehealth services and mental health treatment.
APMA considers this cut unreasonable and plans to engage our members and collaborate with other societies in efforts to contest this decrease. Watch your inbox for ongoing updates from APMA on changes to physician payment and their implications for podiatric physicians and surgeons.