“The Society of Thoracic Surgeons applauds the House bipartisan Doctors Caucuses for their leadership in developing the Patients First Act,” said STS President Vinay Badhwar, MD. “STS has worked closely with members of the caucuses throughout this process, and we are encouraged to see several longstanding physician priorities reflected in the legislation.
In particular, we appreciate the inclusion of meaningful reforms to Medicare's budget neutrality policies and provisions based on the Access to Claims Data Act—legislation developed with strong input from STS to improve physicians' access to timely, comprehensive Medicare claims data.
These policies represent important steps toward a more stable and transparent Medicare payment system that better supports physicians and the delivery of high-quality patient care. We look forward to continuing to work with Congress to advance these reforms and strengthen the Medicare program for both patients and physicians."
