Physicians have continued to see Medicare payment cuts year over year, with a 2% cut in 2023 being followed by a 1.68% cut in 2024, according to an April 8 report from the American Medical Association. 

Medicare pay cuts are making it difficult for many smaller, independent physician practices to meet margins. 

Becker's connected with M. Shafeeq Ahmed, MD, president of Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center in Columbia, Md., to discuss the risks the increasing number of physicians electing not to accept payments from Medicare poses to care delivery as a whole.

Nearly half of health systems are considering dropping Medicare Advantage, according to a survey from the Healthcare Financial Management Association and Eliciting Insights. 

Approximately 15% of all medical claims sent to insurers are denied, including claims that were pre-approved, according to a recent report by healthcare solutions and research company Premier.

Maine is poised to be the next state to ban noncompete agreements, the National Law Review reported March 25. 

Some of the largest recoveries by the Justice Department in the last year were Stark law violations, and some leaders worry the policy is hurting physicians rather than preventing corruption. 

CMS moves are changing the way physicians practice. Here are four recent moves from CMS that are either helping or hurting physicians:

The push to revamp prior authorization practices has picked up steam recently.

The New York City Council is considering bills that would ban noncompetes after Gov. Kathy Hochul in December vetoed a bill that would have prohibited them statewide, Newsday reported March 17. 

A bill amending Washington's noncompete policy was signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee on March 13, according to a news release from the Washington Senate Democrats. 

The Florida Legislature declined to pass two laws banning noncompetes for physicians and doctors of osteopathic medicine, law firm McDermott Will & Emery said in a March 12 blog post. 

Here are six CMS moves that are helping and hurting ASCs.

Five ASC procedures are projected to experience a decline in reimbursements in 2024, according to a VMG Health report. 

Prior authorization practices and protocols have changed among many major payers in the last year.

CMS has announced a program that will accelerate payments to Medicare Part A providers and advance payments to Part B providers who were impacted by the Change Healthcare cyberattack, according to a March 9 report from the American Medical Association. 

Physicians across the country are pushing to reform, and in some cases ban, noncompete clauses, which prohibit them from seeing patients one to two years within a geographic region if they are fired or quit their job, NBC News reported March 3. 

Reimbursement challenges are among the biggest trends ASC leaders are watching.

A New York City physician was charged for allegedly engaging in a $20.7 million healthcare fraud and illegal kickback scheme.

Low reimbursement rates continue to plague ASCs nationwide.