Lawmakers Introduce Legislation to Delay Harmful “Efficiency Adjustment” for Surgeon Pay

The ACS has been leading the fight to stop the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) from continuing to implement the flawed 2.5% cut to work Relative Value Units (RVUs) that went into effect on January 1, acting aggressively on behalf of our members—and Congress is listening.

Through these efforts and the essential support of surgeons through SurgeonsVoice (more than 3,000 surgeons from all 50 states reached out to their lawmakers), bipartisan legislation was introduced last week in Congress that would stop the 2.5% cut to work RVUs. This legislation, the Efficiency Adjustment Delay Act, was authored by Representatives Ron Estes (R-KS) and Thomas Suozzi (D-NY). 

The ACS organized and led a coalition that included more than 35 national organizations resulting in a letter supporting this legislation.

It is essential that all surgeons and their colleagues continue to exert pressure. Contact your congressional representative today and urge them to cosponsor this legislation. The ACS has made it simple to send a prewritten, customizable email through SurgeonsVoice. The number of co-sponsors on a piece of legislation is a crucial factor as to whether a bill becomes law. Help the College get your Representative on the right side of this debate. Take 2 minutes to send a letter to your representative through SurgeonsVoice.

The ACS will continue to fight for its members and work to stop the reductions to work RVUs that devalue surgeon services. Additional updates will be provided as the situation evolves.