GOP Rep: Inflation Expands Medicare Gap, Endangers Healthcare Access
TL/DR –
Inflation is threatening healthcare access in the US, particularly in rural areas, as the cost of medical services rises but Medicare reimbursement rates remain stagnant, according to Rep. Larry Bucshon. This widening gap means physicians are inadequately compensated for their services, leading to a decline in rural medical practices. Bucshon, who introduced a bipartisan bill to adjust the Medicare fee schedule annually in line with the Medicare Economic Index, warns that current practices could negatively impact patient access to care.
Rising Inflation Threatening Healthcare Access, Warns Rep. Larry Bucshon
The widening gap between medical service costs and Medicare coverage rates paid due to rising inflation is endangering health care accessibility, warned Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.) recently. During The Hill’s “Medicare Drug Price Negotiation: How to Ensure Access and Equity” event, sponsored by the Alliance for Aging Research, both Democratic and Republican Congress members discussed these concerns.
Bucshon, the vice chair of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, elaborated on the issues he addressed in an op-ed published in October. He criticized the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for failing to update their payments to physicians based on inflation.
At the event, Bucshon explained that the government has not increased the “payment pie” for Medicare, with provider reimbursement remaining flat. This financial strain on physicians, he said, is endangering medical access, particularly in rural and underserved urban areas of the U.S.
Over the last two decades, Bucshon claims, providers have lost 20% due to the failure to adjust payments for inflation. In response, he introduced abipartisan bill that proposes to adjust the fee schedule based on the Medicare Economic Index.
Other Access Barriers
Additional comments on health care access came from Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.), who emphasized the necessity of addressing language barriers. Barragán, a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, highlighted unequal access to health care as a pressing issue.
Barragán plans frequent discussions with Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra about these challenges. She noted language barriers and navigating the complexities of Medicare as significant obstacles for her working-class constituents. In response, she advocates for increased outreach as well as ensuring that opportunities like clinical trials are accessible to these communities.
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