1. United States
2. N.C.
3. Letter

It has come to my attention that CMS plans to cut physician fees 2.5% this year which when combined with expected practice expense inflationary growth of 3.5% will cut reimbursement by 6%. We are facing a marked shortage of urologists in the US and in NC, particularly in rural areas where the practice expense modifier already penalizes rural practitioners. Reimbursement cuts will lead to more burnout and sense of despair among physicians which will lead to more retirements. It is imperative that the planned cuts be reversed and a fee increase that allows at a minimum a reimbursement that accounts for inflationary impacts or there will be a further erosion in the physician work force that will adversely impact access to care. There are currently about 430 urologists in NC and more than 20% are over 65. There are 30-40 open Urology jobs in the state but there are probably only 15 urologists leaving NC training programs each year. Reduced funding will make the career less appealing and constrain those numbers further. Please support bill to reverse the planned cuts and restore adequate funding for physician services.