American College of Rheumatology Disappointed that Proposed Rule Doesn’t Go Far Enough to Fix Medicare Payment for Physicians

 ATLANTA – The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) today expressed disappointment with the proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) for calendar year 2026 (CY26) from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which includes a minimal boost to physician payment by increasing the conversion factor by 0.7%.

“Insufficient Medicare payments are exacerbating the financial burden on doctors created by decades of cumulative reimbursement cuts and rising costs – placing patients at risk and jeopardizing their access to care. While this proposed rule includes a boost, it is very underwhelming and doesn’t come close to correcting the 33% decline in reimbursements for care since 2001,” said Carol Langford, MD, MHS, president of the ACR. “Congress must pass long-term policy changes to address the impact of inflation and the balanced budget requirement on chronically low Medicare reimbursement rates that affect patients’ access to necessary care. Passage of the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act is one possible solution that would tie annual Medicare physician payment updates to the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) – a measure that reflects the rising costs of providing care, including expenses related to staffing, supplies, and overhead. Without corrective action, patient access—especially for rural and underserved populations—is in jeopardy, which places them at great risk.”

Media Contact
Teri Arnold
tarnold@rheumatology.org

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About the American College of Rheumatology
The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) is an international medical society representing nearly 10,000 rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals with a mission to empower rheumatology professionals to excel in their specialty. In doing so, the ACR offers education, research, advocacy and practice management support to help its members continue their innovative work and provide quality patient care. Rheumatologists are experts in the diagnosis, management and treatment of more than 100 different types of arthritis and rheumatic diseases.