On May 3, a coalition of over 100 organizations, including AHCA/NCAL, submitted a letter of support for H.R. 2474 - Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act. This legislation, introduced by a bipartisan coalition of doctors in Congress, includes needed reforms to the Medicare Part B Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) by providing an annual Medicare physician payment update tied to inflation, as measured by the Medicare Economic Index (MEI). As the letter states, compared to inflation, Medicare Part B PFS payment rates have “declined by 26% from 2001-2023.” Stabilizing these payment rates is important for AHCA/NCAL members as this legislation would help assure ongoing resident access to essential services paid under the PFS, including physician, physical and occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, portable x-ray, clinical laboratory, and other services.