The American Urological Association joins a growing list of stakeholders supporting the reintroduction of the Promoting Fairness for Medicare Providers Act.
WASHINGTON, July 15, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The American Urological Association (AUA) has joined a growing list of stakeholders supporting the reintroduction of the Promoting Fairness for Medicare Providers Act, a bipartisan bill in the 118th Congress led by Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Greg Murphy (R-NC), and Danny Davis (D-IL), to protect Medicare patient access to office-based procedures.
Across the nation, independent and private practice physicians who perform interventional procedures in office settings are shutting down or consolidating. This trend stems from a fundamental mismatch in Medicare's Physician Fee Schedule, which was designed to compensate doctors for their work and not to cover high-cost medical supplies and specialized equipment required for interventional treatments.
As a result of ongoing Medicare cuts – largely related to practice expenses – reimbursement for office-based urological services has been reduced substantially since 2006.
Currently, according to CMS's own data, there are 300 office-based services under the Physician Fee Schedule for which Medicare reimbursement does not even compensate for the direct costs (including supplies and equipment) let alone reimburse the physician for their actual work. This reimbursement shortfall has become a primary driver behind the widespread closure and consolidation of independent medical practices.
In a December 2024 letter, the creation of a new site-of-service for office-based interventional care was endorsed by key stakeholders. The following organizations supported this important reform:
American Society of Pain & Neuroscience
American Association of Clinical Urologists
American College of Radiation Oncology
American Vein & Lymphatic Society
American Venous Forum
American Society of Diagnostic and Interventional Nephrology
American Society of Nephrology
Outpatient Endovascular and Interventional Society
Renal Physicians Association
Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions
Society of Interventional Radiology
"The American Urological Association is proud to join our colleagues across the medical community in supporting the Promoting Fairness for Medicare Providers Act," said Dr. Mark Edney, MD, MBA, Chair of the Public Policy Council. "This critical legislation addresses a fundamental flaw in Medicare's reimbursement structure that threatens patient access to essential urological care. The reduction in reimbursement for office-based interventional procedures since 2006 has forced too many of our members to close their practices or abandon office-based urological services altogether. When Medicare fails to cover even the basic costs of medical supplies and equipment, let alone fairly compensate physicians for their expertise, patients ultimately suffer through reduced access and higher costs. This bipartisan approach represents a vital step toward ensuring that Medicare beneficiaries can continue to receive high-quality, cost-effective urological care in convenient office settings across the country."
Media Contact
Grant Herring, OBFA, 1 202-280-2554, [email protected], https://obfassociation.com/
SOURCE OBFA
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