Surgical Care Coalition Activates a Day of Action to Stop Harmful Medicare Cuts that Threaten Patient Access to Care

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Sep 07, 2021, 10:00 ET

WASHINGTON, Sept. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Significant Medicare cuts set to take effect in less than four months threaten patient access to surgical care. These cuts come amid the COVID-19 pandemic and as rising caseloads continue to strain the nation's health care system. Critical investments in surgical care are needed to ensure patients get the care they need without delay.

On September 9, the Surgical Care Coalition (SCC) will host a Day of Action calling on Congress to prevent these consequential cuts and protect patients.

"Patients should not have to worry about access to future lifesaving surgeries," said David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS, American College of Surgeons Executive Director. "Congress must act now to stop these cuts to surgical care and invest in a health care system that works to benefit patients."

The SCC's Day of Action on September 9 seeks to activate over 150,000 surgeons across the country to help improve the quality of and access to care for all patients. The Day of Action will focus on several public initiatives to highlight the need for Congress to stop these harmful cuts, including a grassroots congressional e-mail campaign, digital and paid media campaigns, the launch of a new video series featuring surgeons across the country, and the release of new fact sheets aimed at educating lawmakers on the gravity of these cuts and the lasting impact they would have on patients.

"Without the congressional intervention needed to stop these cuts, our most vulnerable patients in the Medicare program could suffer from longer wait times and delayed access to critical surgical care," said George A. Williams, MD, American Academy of Ophthalmology Senior Secretary for Advocacy. "Every day, surgeons improve the lives of patients, and they deserve better than a health care system that threatens their ability to provide care year after year."

Congress must act before the end of the year to prevent a nearly 9% Medicare cut. The proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for calendar year 2022 would cut investments across several surgical specialties, reinstating a misguided 3.75% cut on top of a 5% cut due to automatic federal spending cuts.

To learn more about the cuts, read here.

About the Surgical Care Coalition
The Surgical Care Coalition advocates for access to quality surgical care for all Americans. The Surgical Care Coalition is comprised of 13 surgical professional associations that proudly represent the more than 150,000 surgeons working across the country with a common goal of improving the quality of care, and quality of life, for all patients.

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Surgical Care Coalition