The American Academy of Ophthalmology joined a coalition opposing CMS' proposal to drastically cut payment rates for general and specialty surgeons in 2021, including a 6 percent pay cut for ophthalmologists.
The AAO is working with the Surgical Care Coalition, a group of 12 medical associations urging Congress to take two key actions:
1. Waive Medicare's budget-neutrality requirements
2. Require CMS to apply the proposed E/M payment increase to 10- and 90-day global surgical postoperative visits
The AAO opposes CMS' proposal on the grounds that it "will likely force ophthalmologists to take fewer Medicare patients leading to longer wait times and reduced access to care for older Americans," the organization said in a press release. "It may also force more ophthalmologists, who already have the highest overhead in medicine, to back out of Medicare participation entirely."
Click here to read more about the AAO's stance.