Medicare has proposed a new payment policy for 2027 that could affect how patients receive certain procedures, such as injections and biopsies, during an office visit.
Under the proposed change, Medicare would reduce reimbursement when certain procedures and an office visit are provided on the same day. While the proposal does not prohibit same-day treatment, it could make it more difficult for healthcare providers to continue offering some procedures during the same visit.
What Could This Mean for Patients?
If this change is finalized, some Medicare patients may need to return for a separate appointment to receive treatment that could currently be provided during their initial visit.
This could result in:
- Additional costs, including copays, coinsurance, transportation expenses and time away from work
- Delays in treatment while patients wait for another appointment
- Additional inconvenience, particularly for patients with mobility limitations, transportation challenges, caregiving responsibilities or long travel distances
At Orthopaedic Associates of Wisconsin, we believe patients should continue to have access to medically appropriate same-day care whenever possible.
Your Voice Matters
The proposed policy has not yet been finalized. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is accepting public comments on the 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule through September 14, 2026. When submitting a comment, reference CMS-1848-P.
Patients can share why access to same-day care is important to them and how an additional appointment could affect their cost, transportation, time or ability to receive timely treatment.
Contact Your Federal Representatives
You can also contact your elected officials to share your concerns about the proposed Medicare change. Our patient materials encourage patients to contact their U.S. senators and representative regarding the proposal.
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin
Patients can contact Senator Baldwin through her online form or by calling her Washington office at 202-224-5653.
Contact Senator Tammy Baldwin
U.S. Senator Ron Johnson
Patients can submit comments through Senator Johnson’s online form or call his Washington office at 202-224-5323.
Contact Senator Ron Johnson
U.S. Representative Scott Fitzgerald, Wisconsin’s 5th Congressional District
Representative Fitzgerald can be reached at 202-225-5101 in Washington or 262-784-1111 at his Oconomowoc district office.
Contact Representative Scott Fitzgerald
If you live outside Wisconsin’s 5th Congressional District, you can enter your ZIP code on the U.S. House of Representatives website to find and contact your representative.
Help Protect Access to Timely Care
OAW is committed to providing timely, patient-centered orthopedic care. We encourage Medicare patients, families and community members who are concerned about this proposed change to learn more, submit a comment to CMS and share their perspective with their elected representatives.
