Washington, D.C. — The Office-Based Facility Association (OBFA) and its coalition partners today announced its strong endorsement of H.R. 10136, the Promoting Fairness for Medicare Providers Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Greg Murphy (R-NC), and Danny Davis (D-IL), will protect patient access to vital services.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE LETTER.

The letter says, in part, “We write to applaud your efforts to tackle one of the most pressing issues facing the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule: the ongoing closures and consolidation of office-based interventional care providers across the United States. Our coalition would like to thank you for introducing the Promoting Fairness for Medicare Providers Act of 2024 (H.R. 10136). Your bipartisan legislation is an important step toward fundamental reform of the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and reversing the collapse of private practice providers. Put simply, the ‘Physician Fee’ Schedule was built for reimbursing physicians for their work and not for the reimbursement of high-cost supplies and equipment.”

The coalition includes:

• American Society of Pain & Neuroscience

• American Association of Clinical Urologists

• American College of Radiation Oncology

• American Vein & Lymphatic Society

• American Venous Forum

• American Society of Diagnostic and Interventional Nephrology

• American Society of Nephrology

• Large Urology Group Practice Association

• Outpatient Endovascular and Interventional Society

• Renal Physicians Association

• Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions

• Society of Interventional Radiology

The Promoting Fairness for Medicare Providers Act of 2024 (H.R. 10136) would provide immediate and permanent reimbursement stability for office-based interventional services that utilize high-cost supplies over $500 by establishing a new “office-based facility” site-of-service. Reimbursement for specified surgical procedures with high-cost supplies would be paid at 90% of ambulatory surgical center (ASC) rates, thereby helping to stop further closures of centers that provide office-based interventional care.

"This legislation comes at a crucial moment for healthcare accessibility in our communities," said Outpatient Endovascular and Interventional Society (OEIS) Past President and OBFA board member Jerry Niedzwiecki, MD. "With Medicare reimbursement currently falling below direct costs for over 300 office-based interventional services—a concerning 50% increase from 195 services in 2024—many facilities are facing possible closure. We commend the bipartisan leadership shown in introducing this essential legislation. This reform will help ensure that patients can continue receiving high-quality interventional care in convenient, cost-effective office-based settings."

The bill directly addresses longstanding reimbursement challenges under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) that have threatened the sustainability of private practices nationwide. By establishing a more equitable payment structure, the legislation aims to preserve patient access to vital medical services in community-based settings.