The American College of Surgeons is urging lawmakers to address instability in Medicare physician payment as the House Energy and Commerce Committee met May 20 to examine physician payment reform.
The organization said it remains concerned about recent changes within the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, including CMS’ 2.5% efficiency adjustment to wRVUs for 2026, according to a May 20 statement.
The ACS cited research published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons examining 1.7 million operations across 249 CPT codes. The study found operative times increased 3.1% overall between 2019 and 2023, while 90% of procedures demonstrated the same or longer operative times.
“These findings directly contradict the assumptions underlying the efficiency adjustment,” Patricia Turner, MD,executive director and CEO of the American College of Surgeons, said in the statement. “Surgeons today are caring for older, sicker, and increasingly complex patients.”
The ACS also said budget neutrality requirements within the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule continue redistributing resources toward primary care at the expense of surgical and specialty care. The organization said reform efforts should support both primary care and specialty care access.
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