The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics appreciates the leadership of the Doc Caucus, the American Medical Association, and the many lawmakers and professional societies who continue working collaboratively to address longstanding Medicare payment challenges. We commend these bipartisan efforts to create a more stable and sustainable reimbursement system for all Medicare Part B providers.
Recent efforts to once again address this issue have lead to a House-passed reconciliation bill which includes a provision to establish a single Medicare conversion factor tied to inflation beginning in 2026. This marks an important step toward more predictable payment updates for all providers. However, the Senate version of the package removed this provision. As negotiations continue, we urge policymakers to advance a long-term solution that supports the financial viability of providers and maintains access to high-quality care for beneficiaries.
The Academy supports the proposal to tie the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) payment rate to 75 percent of the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) for 2026. The projected 2.25 percent increase would help offset the 2.83 percent reimbursement reduction that took effect in January 2025. This change reflects a meaningful effort to align payment policy with economic realities, especially given that Medicare rates have historically failed to keep pace with inflation and the increasing costs of delivering care.
We remain concerned that only an update of 10 percent of the MEI for 2027 and future years falls short of what is needed to sustain small group and solo providers. This includes many Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) who provide essential preventive and chronic care services. Without a more consistent and realistic update mechanism, these providers may be forced to reduce services or close their practices, which would limit beneficiary access to critical services such as medical nutrition therapy (MNT).
Ensuring stable and adequate reimbursement is more than just good policy. It is essential to protecting older adults' access to the preventive and medical care they need to remain healthy, independent and active in their communities.
The Academy remains committed to working alongside Congress, federal agencies, and professional partners to achieve a payment system that supports all providers, strengthens Medicare and improves the health of older Americans.
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