A new survey released by the Surgical Care Coalition of more than 1,000 surgeons nationwide is pointing to increased disruptions in medical care for seniors because of cuts to the Medicare payment process.
The survey, conducted for the American College of Surgeons, a founding member of the Surgical Care Coalition, found 68% of surgeons expected patients will be faced with delays to care, while 58% predicted longer wait time. One in three surgeons believed there will be a change in their Medicare patient intake if the cuts were to go into effect, while 20% expected fewer new Medicare patients.
Furthermore, more than nine in ten (93%) surgeons stated healthcare worker shortages impacted their ability to provide high quality care over the last year, while more than three-quarters (77%) reported “a great deal of impact” from these shortages.
“Our survey results confirm that the impending cuts to Medicare payments will be disastrous for patients and their access to life-saving and life-altering care,” said Dr. Patricia L. Turner, CEO and executive director of the American College of Surgeons. “As our population continues to age, more and more seniors depend on Medicare to receive the care they need. Congressional leadership must protect patients by stopping the full cut to Medicare payments so healthcare providers can focus on delivering high-quality care to patients.”
