Society Applauds Passage of Legislation to Avert PALTC Medicare Payment Cuts

Columbia, MD – AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care (PALTC) Medicine applauds passage of legislation addressing the looming Medicare cuts to PALTC visits. Last week, Congress passed, and the president signed into law, S.610—the Protecting Medicare and American Farmers from Sequester Cuts Act—averting 5-7% cuts to Medicare payments for nursing home visits.

For the last 22 months, PALTC clinicians have been on the frontlines fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. These clinicians need resources to continue taking care of vulnerable patients and residents in these settings. Providing stability in the Medicare program is crucial to ensure continued access to care for millions of vulnerable Americans.  

The bill extends the 2% Medicare sequester moratorium through March 31, 2022. and adjusts the sequester from 2% down to 1% between April 1, 2022, and June 30, 2022. It will also increase Medicare physician payments by increasing the physician fee schedule conversion factor by 3% for calendar year 2022. In order to eliminate the potential for an additional 4% Medicare sequester in 2022 due to statutory pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) requirements, the bill also contains a PAYGO waiver that will take effect after adjournment of the first session of the 117th Congress. 

“The Society thanks all its members for being engaged and contacting their members of Congress to ask them to pass this legislation,” says Christopher E. Laxton, CAE, the Society’s executive director. “Although we applaud this current fix, it is necessary to bring long-term stability to the Medicare program. We look forward to continuing to work with Congress to achieve that goal.”  

“This is an important piece of legislation, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic will likely be around for some time to come,” says Karl Steinberg. MD, HMDC, CMD, the president of AMDA’s Board of Directors. “We will continue to advocate for our members on this and other matters to ensure they can continue to provide the best possible care for their patients.”

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AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine is the only medical specialty society representing the community of over 50,000 medical directors, physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other practitioners working in the various post-acute and long-term care (PALTC) settings. Dedicated to defining and improving quality, we advance our mission through timely professional development, evidence-based clinical guidance, and tireless advocacy on behalf of members, patients, families, and staff. Visit www.paltc.org for more information