Washington, DC - Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the proposed rule for the CY 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. In this proposal, CMS again recommends substantial cuts to physician reimbursements. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) is concerned that recurring significant cuts will endanger patient care and undermine the financial stability of cardiothoracic surgery practices and hospitals.
“The ongoing, repeated cuts to physician payments in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule are extremely troubling. These reductions threaten the quality of patient care and challenge the viability of hospitals, cardiothoracic surgery practices, and the physician workforce. STS strongly opposes these cuts and is steadfast in its efforts to protect patients and ensure the sustainability of physician practices. We are encouraged by the ongoing collaboration with Congress and its willingness to implement systematic reforms, which cannot come soon enough,” says STS President Jennifer C. Romano, MD, MS.
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For more information, contact Kathy Cummings, director of communications, at kcummings@sts.org.
Founded in 1964, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons is a not-for-profit organization representing more than 7,800 cardiothoracic surgeons, researchers, and allied healthcare professionals worldwide who are dedicated to ensuring the best possible outcomes for surgeries of the heart, lung, and esophagus, as well as other surgical procedures within the chest. The Society’s mission is to enhance the ability of cardiothoracic surgeons to provide the highest quality patient care through education, research, and advocacy.