Burgess-led contingent requests House Budget Committee hearing on Medicare cuts

U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) led 10 of his Republican colleagues in requesting that the U.S. House Budget Committee schedule a hearing as soon as possible on how to handle budget cuts to Medicare physician payments in a fiscally responsible manner.

“My fellow members have offered several solutions and the Democrat majority has chosen to prioritize inflationary spending over preserving Medicare for our seniors and those at risk,” Rep. Burgess said. “We have a very real obligation on the Budget Committee to work towards solutions to ensure that the United States remains a leader in access to quality health care by empowering physicians.”

Specifically, Rep. Burgess, along with House Budget Committee Ranking Member Jason Smith (R-MO) and members of the Doctors Caucus, sent a Nov. 1 letter to House Budget Committee Chairman John Yarmuth (D-KY) expressing concerns with forthcoming cuts to physician payments under Medicare, namely the 4 percent sequester cut required by the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (PAYGO) law.

Without action from Congress, the members wrote that starting in January 2023, $35 billion will be cut from Medicare next year alone — and more than $500 billion over the next 10 years. 

“I hope Chairman Yarmuth recognizes the devastating impact this could have on our American health system and promptly schedules a hearing,” said Rep. Burgess in a related statement.

In their letter, the members wrote that the 4 percent cut to Medicare will be implemented on top of the ongoing 2 percent Medicare sequester required under the Budget Control Act of 2011. 

“With these scheduled cuts under the jurisdiction of the Committee on the Budget, we request that you hold a hearing so we can prioritize America’s seniors and address the Medicare sequester cuts in a manner that still fulfills the budgetary savings required under [the] PAYGO law,” wrote Rep. Burgess and the lawmakers, who included U.S. Reps. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), Larry Bucshon (R-IN), and Buddy Carter (R-GA).

The members said they want to ensure that the United States remains a leader in access to quality health care by empowering physicians to continue serving American seniors.