AVLS Member Engages Congressman in Stop CMS’22

Dr. Sreenivas Reddy, an AVLS member from Illinois, joined U.S. Representative Danny K. Davis at a press conference at the Chicago Medical Society to oppose the proposed CMS cuts along with Dr. Tariq Butt, President of the Chicago Medical Society, Dr. Paramjit “Roma” Chopra, an Interventional Radiologist, and Dr. Dominic Tolitano, Thoracic and Vascular Surgeon. 

“The proposed Medicare payment changes will sharply limit access to care to most underserved communities and populations,” said Dr. Reddy. “It will delay their care and force these patients into overburdened hospitals.”

The discussion centered on the loss of more affordable healthcare procedures and a shift to hospital care if office-based care is forced to close. 

“Medicare is one pot, fixed, and anytime we take out from it, it has to come from somewhere else,” said Dr. Chopra. “Now, in this fixed pot, we have to make sure that our care is better, faster and cheaper. The outpatient services are as much to 50-70% cheaper in the office than in the hospital. Now, if they cut 20%, then I know for certain, the three clinics that I have won’t be able to survive.”

Closing office-based care would shift these patients into hospitals already overburdened by the pandemic for procedures that would cost up to 3x more in the hospital setting than as office-based, outpatient procedures, said Dr. Chopra. 

Additionally, Dr. Chopra shared how his diabetic patients may have to wait six weeks to be seen at a hospital, and that delay can result in limb amputation. Once a diabetic patient has received an amputation, there is a 50% likelihood of dying in the next three years. Alternatively, his clinic is often able to see these patients the next and provide care that can save the limb and extend his patients’ quality of life. 

“If you take care of people at different stages of being, then they don’t get to the last stage, where you might have to use a lot of resources just to keep them ok for a short period of time, like ventilators and end of life care,” commented Rep. Davis. 

Dr. Tolitano added that the proposed cuts are untenable for many office-based practices. This will result in many practices no longer being able to afford procedures, as no business can survive a 20% cut. 

“It is my feeling that regulatory policies should be designed to increase access to care and facilitate service,” closed Rep. Davis. “Office-based practice is an essential part of healthcare delivery in this country and should be protected.”

The conference was attended by physicians from around the Chicago area, including Vein Clinics of America, medical students, the Illinois Department of Public Health, and the Access Community Health Network.

The AVLS encourages its members to reach out to their Congressional representatives as Dr. Reddy did and engage them in conversations about this topic. Resources are available at www.myavls.org/cms22, or for additional support, contact Robert White at advocacy@myavls.org.

Watch a livestream of the conference.