Protect Patient Access to Surgical Care

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) is advocating for reforms that protect patients, preserve access to specialty care, and ensure surgeons can continue delivering lifesaving treatment in communities across the country.

The ACS is working to ensure that surgical patients and specialty care are not overlooked in Medicare payment reform discussions. Payment policy should strengthen the full continuum of care—not shift resources in ways that undermine access to needed surgical services.

Take Action

Congress needs to hear from surgeons about how Medicare payment instability affects patient access to care.

Urge Congress to support legislation that protects surgical care and stops harmful payment cuts.

Help us fight back against these cuts. Amplify our voice using SurgeonsVoice.

Why This Matters

Medicare payment policy directly affects whether patients can access the surgical care they need, when they need it. Continued instability in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, including reductions tied to work Relative Value Units, creates uncertainty for surgeons, practices, hospitals, and the patients they serve.

The ACS supports meaningful Medicare physician payment reform that promotes stability, protects access to specialty care, and recognizes the full scope of services required to deliver high-quality surgical care.

ACS Advocacy in Action

The ACS is actively engaging with Congress, policymakers, the media, and surgeons across the country to protect access to surgical care. Our advocacy is focused on ensuring Medicare payment reform strengthens—not weakens—the healthcare system for patients who require specialty and surgical services.

The ACS is calling on Congress to:

• Address instability in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule
• Protect access to lifesaving surgical and specialty care
• Prevent harmful payment cuts
• Ensure reforms support both primary care and specialty care
• Recognize the impact of payment policy on patients, surgeons, and care teams

Latest Updates

Surgeon Experts Highlight a Core Problem of Medicare Payment Reform in Health Affairs
Surgeon leaders examine flaws in Medicare payment reform and outline policy solutions to protect surgical care access and practice sustainability.

Surgeons Describe Solutions for Recalibrating Productivity Benchmarks
Surgeon leaders outline practical solutions to address the impact of wRVU cuts and ensure productivity benchmarks reflect the realities of modern surgical care.

Understanding the Issue

What Is the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule?

The Medicare Physician Fee Schedule determines how physicians are paid for services provided to Medicare patients. Changes to this system can have significant effects on patient access, physician practices, and the availability of specialty care.

What Are wRVUs?

Work Relative Value Units (wRVUs) are one component of the Medicare payment system. They are intended to reflect the time, skill, training, and intensity required to provide a medical service. When wRVU values are reduced, it can affect how surgical care is valued and reimbursed.

Why Are Surgeons Concerned?

Recent and proposed payment changes could shift resources in ways that create new challenges for surgeons and the patients who depend on them. The ACS is concerned that reforms meant to address one part of the healthcare system could unintentionally reduce access to surgical and specialty services.

Patients need both primary care and specialty care. One should not come at the expense of the other.