WILLISTON, VT – Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) convened health care leaders in Williston to discuss the impact of Medicare reimbursement cuts on small and independent health care providers and businesses in Vermont, many of which are already struggling to provide care to seniors in rural communities. Senator Welch recently introduced the bipartisan Physician Fee Stabilization Act, which updates a Medicare budget threshold last adjusted in 1992 that is triggering harmful cuts to provider payments. This change will ensure rural care providers are fairly reimbursed by the government for the care they provide to seniors. The bill is co-led by Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.) and cosponsored by Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Angus King (I-Maine), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kan.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.).
The event was hosted at Primary Care Health Partners in Williston, an independent primary care health care practice that serves Medicare patients in Vermont.
“Vermont’s primary care providers play an important role in keeping our seniors healthy. But rising business costs, workforce challenges, and yearly reimbursement cuts to pose serious challenges for doctors and providers who serve Medicare patients—especially in rural communities. It’s not sustainable and it’s threatening care to seniors in Vermont,” said Senator Welch. “Congress must pass our bipartisan Physician Fee Stabilization Act and help rural providers like Dr. Sadkin and Dr. Morris receive their deserved reimbursement so they can continue delivering quality care right here in Vermont.”
View a photo from the event below:
Sen. Welch was joined by Dr. Toby Sadkin, Independent Primary Care Provider in St. Albans; Dr. Anne Morris, Primary Care Provider at the Milton Family Practice; Jessa Barnard, Executive Director, Vermont Medical Society.
“The Vermont Medical Society’s motto is ‘Not For Ourselves do we Labor.’ I can tell you from meeting hundreds of doctors across the state, they have gone into medicine and chosen to practice in Vermont to help their patients. If services are not paid for, medical practices in Vermont won’t be able to keep their doors open to continue to care for Vermonters. Some may be forced to close altogether, while others may have to make the heartbreaking decision to limit how many Medicare patients they can see. We call on U.S. Senators and Representatives to join with Senator Welch to do what is right for Seniors across the country and be part of the solution to this flawed Medicare payment system,” said Jessa Barnard, Executive Director, Vermont Medical Society.
“It is not uncommon for us to hear from our Medicare patients that they have had difficulty finding a primary care practice that is open to new Medicare patients. Without adequate support for primary care, we run the risk of losing primary care practices. It is crucial that we continue to ensure access to primary care, including for those covered by Medicare,” said Dr. Toby Sadkin, Family Physician at St. Albans Primary Care, and Chair of Primary Care Health Partners.
“As the director of the family medicine residency program, I am passionate about ensuring the next generation of doctors is here to take care of the primary care needs of Vermonters. Unfortunately, there are many headwinds working against us – physicians aging faster than we can train new clinicians, high student loans and high paperwork burdens making primary care look unattractive, and on top of that low and declining payments for primary care,” said Dr. Anne Morris, Family Physician in Milton, President of the Vermont Academy of Family Practice, and Director of Burlington’s Family Medicine Residency training program.
Senator Welch has led efforts to protect access to Medicare services and support rural health care providers in the Senate. Last week, Senator Welch introduced the bicameral 340B Pharmaceutical Access To Invest in Essential, Needed Treatments & Support (PATIENTS) Act, legislation that would protect the 340B drug pricing program and ensure patients—especially those in lower income and rural communities—can continue care with providers who utilize the program.
The Physician Fee Stabilization Act has support from nationwide health organizations, including the American Medical Association (AMA), American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), American Optometric Association (AOA), Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS), American College of Surgeons (ACS), American Osteopathic Association (AOA), National Rural Health Association (NRHA), American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM), American College of Radiology (ACR), American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), Alliance of Specialty Medicine (ASM), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), American Urological Association (AUA), American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), American Academy of Ophthalmology (AOA), American Psychiatric Association (APA), American College of Physicians (ACF), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and American College of Cardiology (ACC).
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