Washington, DC – America’s Physician Groups (APG) today called on Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) to prioritize the allocation of additional Provider Relief Fund (PRF) money for physicians that work outside of hospital systems. APG is also calling on Congress to help physicians by considering authorizing forgiveness of the loans provided by the accelerated and advanced payment programs and to delay the Medicare sequestration.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has caused extensive financial stress for physician practices that are not affiliated with a hospital,” said Don Crane, APG President and CEO. “Unfortunately, the previous distribution of PRF dollars were directed mostly toward hospitals. It’s imperative that that we now direct any additional PRF financial assistance to these physician practices that have spent thousands of dollars in investments for telehealth services, waiving patient co-pays, and providing COVID testing and vaccinations.”
Forgiving the accelerated and advanced payment loans for physician groups will provide much-needed assistance for the financial difficulties caused by the ongoing pandemic.
APG is also calling on Congress to extend the Medicare sequestration moratorium until the end of the public health emergency. Any additional cuts to Medicare on top of the existing financial hardships from the pandemic may be too high for many healthcare providers to overcome.
Read the full letter to Senator Schumer here.
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About America’s Physician Groups
America’s Physician Groups is a national association representing more than 340 physician groups with approximately 195,000 physicians providing care to nearly 45 million patients. APG’s tagline, ‘Taking Responsibility for America’s Health,’ represents our members’ vision to move from the antiquated, dysfunctional fee-for-service reimbursement system to a clinically integrated, value-based healthcare system where physician groups are accountable for the coordination, cost, and quality of patient care. Visit us at www.apg.org.
Contact: Greg Phillips, APG Director of Communications, 202-770-1901, gphillips@apg.org
