This week, Congress passed limited cuts to Medicare payments for independent physician practices but included conversion factor support to limit the severity of these cuts. While these funding cuts will hinder the services provided by independent medical practices across the country, the final 2% cuts are significantly less than the potential double-digit cuts initially proposed by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.  The conversion factor support will aid independent practices that continue to fall further behind other provider types that enjoyed rate increases this year under “market basket” inflationary adjustments. The continued funding infusion is a small step in the right direction towards a much-needed, longer-term reform to the nation’s Medicare system, which RPAN will continue to aggressively advocate for.  “While any Medicare funding cuts are disappointing and will no doubt hurt independent practices, RPAN is encouraged our nationwide advocacy efforts - including over 7,000 phone calls, 38,000 text messages and e-mail correspondence - pressed Congress to shrink the percentage of those cuts as well as include in-conversion factor support in their final funding package. However, there is much more to do. Year-after-year of Medicare funding cuts to independent medical practices must be stopped, and we will continue our congressional advocacy efforts to implement long-term solutions, like inflationary adjustments for independent providers,” said Bob Still, Executive Director of the Radiology Business Management Association (RBMA). “We will be steadfast in our ongoing efforts to reform the Medicare funding system, specifically for independent medical providers who are the only Medicare providers in the country not to receive annual inflationary updates. We are glad to see RPAN’s advocacy in the legislative process significantly knock down this year’s proposed cuts to our funding, but we are committed to ensuring no future cuts to Medicare funding for America’s independent providers and the practices they run going forward,” said Shannon Wilson, President of the RBMA. ### About RBMA The Radiology Business Management Association (RBMA) is an industry-leading organization comprised of more than 2,100 professionals who focus on the business of radiology. RBMA members support diagnostic imaging, interventional radiology and radiation oncology providers in the full spectrum of practice settings. RBMA connects members nationwide to valuable information, education, and practice-related resources and serves as an authoritative industry voice on behalf of shared member interests. Source: RBMA