Congress passed on March 8 appropriations legislation to avert a partial government shutdown, providing partial relief to the 3.37% Medicare cut currently in effect, but the ACC has voiced disappointment that a full fix was not provided.

This partial fix came after several months of advocacy work, from ACC Advocacy staff and leadership meeting with key officials to thousands of members writing to their lawmakers on the issue. Just last month, nearly 600 ACC members took action through the College's grassroots network, urging their senators to join a letter to Senate Leadership requesting a Medicare payment fix.

The newly enacted legislation incorporates several health policy changes, including language that partially mitigates the current Medicare payment cuts impacting practices and providing some relief for 2024. Although this is not a full fix, the legislation offers more certainty for clinicians who were previously unsure if they could continue to provide high-quality care to Medicare patients.

The ACC is now renewing its call for long-term, sustainable Medicare payment reform to protect patient access to vital cardiovascular services and ensure the financial viability of cardiology practices across the U.S.

"We must find a way to end this cycle and find long-term solutions," said ACC President B. Hadley Wilson, MD, FACC. "The collective voice of the medical community broke through political divides to provide partial relief this year, and we'll continue to harness this energy as we redouble our efforts with Congress to seek legislative solutions to achieve comprehensive reform for the future."

Access the full ACC statement here. For more ways to engage on Medicare payment, send a message to your lawmakers in support of legislation to enact an annual inflationary update to the Medicare system.