United States of Care Submits Comments in Response to the Release of the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule

On September 6, 2022, the United States of Care submitted the following comments in response to the release of the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule in July 2022. This rule, released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, dictates proposed Medicare payment rates and methodologies to physicians and other providers in clinic, hospital, and other practice settings. 

The USofCare response, in accordance with principles outlined in the organization’s United Solutions for Care, prioritizes issues in the PFS that promote increased access to care for all people. Most notably, the letter highlights the importance of:

• continued telehealth flexibilities for patients to allow them to access these services either in-person or through virtual care technology;
• audio-only services beyond the end of the public health emergency to allow patients to access these services in a safe and convenient way;
• further primary care and behavioral health integration to address access issues and provider shortages;
• expanding the scope of medically necessary dental care services to prevent and alleviate the burden of oral health outcomes, particularly amongst low-income older adults and communities of color.

USofCare looks forward to continued engagement with CMS and other federal agencies to support these proposed improvements that promise to deliver increasingly affordable, dependable, understandable, and personalized care to those covered by Medicare and other federal programs.