Take Action: Support the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act (H.R. 6160)

For years, Medicare physician reimbursement has failed to keep pace with inflation and rising practice costs. Physicians continue to face growing administrative burdens and increasing costs associated with staffing, technology, remote monitoring infrastructure, cybersecurity, and specialized clinical care.

 

These challenges are especially significant in cardiac electrophysiology, where physicians care for patients with complex heart rhythm disorders including atrial fibrillation, ventricular arrhythmias, and conditions associated with sudden cardiac arrest. Continued instability within the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule threatens patient access to timely specialty care and places increasing pressure on community-based practices already facing workforce shortages and growing patient demand.

 

H.R. 6160 would help create a more stable and predictable physician payment framework by tying annual Medicare physician payment updates to the Medicare Economic Index (MEI), helping reimbursement better reflect the real-world cost of delivering care.

 

Without action from Congress, continued payment instability risks accelerating healthcare consolidation, increasing delays in specialty cardiovascular care, and reducing patient access to community-based services.

 

HRA encourages all advocates to take action and urge Congress to support H.R. 6160 to help preserve patient access to high-quality cardiovascular and electrophysiology care.