Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act
Sponsored By: Representative Ruiz
Introduced
Summary
This bill would move the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule to a single conversion factor and tie each year's update to the Medicare Economic Index, with the change taking effect for 2026.
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- Physicians and clinicians: Payment scaling for physician services would be consolidated under one conversion factor starting in 2026, instead of the current two-factor arrangement.
- Secretary of Health and Human Services: The Secretary would set each annual update equal to the estimated percentage increase in the Medicare Economic Index.
- Statutory text and rulemaking: The bill removes language that refers to two separate conversion factors and clauses that end in 2025 so the single-factor framework applies after 2025.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Medicare doctor pay tied to inflation
Starting in 2026, Medicare would use one payment formula for doctor services, not two. Each year, that formula’s update would equal the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) increase the Secretary estimates. That could raise or lower doctor pay depending on the MEI that year. People on Medicare could see effects if some doctors change whether they take Medicare.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Ruiz
CA • D
Cosponsors
Bilirakis
FL • R
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Panetta
CA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Bera
CA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Schrier
WA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Van Drew
NJ • R
Sponsored 3/17/2026
Carbajal
CA • D
Sponsored 3/17/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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