Shortly after CMS unveiled its proposed Physician Fee Schedule for 2022, the American College of Surgeons released a statement strongly opposing the payment updates.
Under the proposed payment rule, the conversion factor for 2022 would decrease 3.75 percent to $33.58. The conversion factor is the starting point for calculating Medicare payments to physicians.
The American College of Surgeons, which represents 150,000 surgeons in the U.S., argues that surgical care "continues to be under threat in the proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule" and that the organization "strongly opposes the cuts" in the fee schedule.
"Our patients deserve a healthcare system that invests in surgical care. CMS is taking notable strides to improve health equity; however, this proposal would achieve the opposite by threatening patient access to critical treatments and procedures," said David Hoyt, MD, American College of Surgeon executive director. "The ACS stands ready to work with Congress toward a sustainable, long-term solution in the interest of all patients."