SHM Joins Multi-stakeholder Letter Supporting the "Medicare Sequester COVID Moratorium Act"

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The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the House
United States Capitol
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Chuck Schumer
Senate Majority Leader
United States Capitol
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Kevin McCarthy
Minority Leader
2421 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Mitch McConnell
Senate Minority Leader
317 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, and Leader McCarthy:

The American Medical Association and undersigned national specialty and state medical societies represent the vast majority of physicians practicing in the United States, many of whom continue to provide frontline care to Medicare patients as the COVID-19 global pandemic persists across the country. We are deeply concerned that persistently high COVID-19 rates will continue to stress the entire health care system, especially physician practices. To help alleviate the unrelenting fiscal demands of the pandemic, we strongly urge Congress to pass legislation that would extend the congressionally enacted moratorium on Medicare sequester cuts through the duration of the public health emergency (PHE).

We appreciate that Congress recognized early on during the pandemic the severe financial strain facing our nation’s health care system, including physician practices, and provided a much-needed reprieve from the two percent Medicare payment sequester through the remainder of 2020 in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. We also applaud Congress for including in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 an extension of the sequester moratorium until March 31, 2021. Even with the encouraging development and deployment of an effective vaccine, the fact remains that physician practices will continue to face overwhelming financial challenges and pressures associated with higher overhead costs (e.g., personal protective equipment) and lost revenue due to fewer patient visits and delayed elective procedures.

With the March 31 deadline looming, it is critical for Congress to take immediate steps to further postpone the imposition of the Medicare sequester. We, therefore, strongly urge you to pass H.R. 315, the “Medicare Sequester COVID Moratorium Act”—bipartisan legislation that would continue the current Medicare sequester moratorium for the duration of the PHE.

Sincerely,
American Medical Association
Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry
AMDA - The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
American Academy of Dermatology Association
American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
American Academy of Family Physicians
American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
American Academy of Neurology
American Academy of Ophthalmology
American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy
American Academy of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery
American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
American Association for Hand Surgery
American Association of Clinical Endocrinology
American Association of Clinical Urologists
American Association of Neurological Surgeons
American Association of Neuromusclar & Electrodiagnostic Medicine
American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons
American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
American College of Cardiology
American College of Emergency Physicians
American College of Gastroenterology
American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
American College of Osteopathic Internists
American College of Osteopathic Surgeons
American College of Physicians
American College of Radiation Oncology
American College of Radiology
American College of Surgeons
American Geriatrics Society
American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
American Medical Group Association
American Medical Women's Association
American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society
American Osteopathic Association
American Society for Clinical Pathology
American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery
American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
American Society for Radiation Oncology
American Society of Addiction Medicine
American Society of Anesthesiologists
American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery
American Society of Echocardiography
American Society of Hematology
American Society of Neuroradiology
American Society of Plastic Surgeons
American Society of Retina Specialists
American Urogynecologic Society
American Urological Association
American Vein & Lymphatic Society
American Venous Forum
American Rhinologic Society
Association for Clinical Oncology
Association of American Medical Colleges
Association of University Radiologists
Congress of Neurological Surgeons
Endocrine Society
International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery
Medical Group Management Association
National Association of Medical Examiners
National Association of Spine Specialists
North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society Outpatient Endovascular & Interventional Society
Renal Physician Association
Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions
Society for Vascular Surgery
Society of Gynecologic Oncology
Society of Hospital Medicine
Society of Interventional Radiology
Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Spine Intervention Society
Medical Association of the State of Alabama
Alaska State Medical Association
Arizona Medical Association
Arkansas Medical Society
California Medical Association
Colorado Medical Society
Connecticut State Medical Society
Medical Society of Delaware
Medical Society of the District of Columbia
Florida Medical Association Inc
Medical Association of Georgia
Hawaii Medical Association
Idaho Medical Association
Illinois State Medical Society
Indiana State Medical Association
Iowa Medical Society
Kansas Medical Society
Kentucky Medical Association
Louisiana State Medical Society
Maine Medical Association
MedChi, The Maryland State Medical Society
Massachusetts Medical Society
Michigan State Medical Society
Minnesota Medical Association
Mississippi State Medical Association
Missouri State Medical Association
Montana Medical Association
Nebraska Medical Association
Nevada State Medical Association
New Hampshire Medical Society
Medical Society of New Jersey
New Mexico Medical Society
Medical Society of the State of New York
North Carolina Medical Society
North Dakota Medical Association
Ohio State Medical Association
Oklahoma State Medical Association
Oregon Medical Association Pennsylvania Medical Society
Rhode Island Medical Society
South Carolina Medical Association
South Dakota State Medical Association
Tennessee Medical Association
Texas Medical Association
Utah Medical Association
Vermont Medical Society
Medical Society of Virginia
Washington State Medical Association
West Virginia State Medical Association
Wisconsin Medical Society
Wyoming Medical Society