Physician Pay Cut Again: Can GOP Leadership Save Medicare Access? (Forbes)

Physicians are bracing for a 6.3% Medicare pay cut, marking the fifth consecutive year of reductions, as Congress fails to adjust reimbursement rates in its latest spending package. While Republican leadership has pledged to address this issue in an upcoming budget reconciliation bill, physicians are warning that continued cuts will jeopardize patient access, especially for the 66 million Americans on Medicare, and worsen the ongoing crisis in rural healthcare. These reductions disproportionately harm smaller and independent practices, as doctors face rising costs without inflation adjustments, leading to practice closures, longer patient wait times, and reduced care quality.