ASE Joins Letter Urging Congressional Action on Physician Fee Schedule Efficiency Adjustment

On November 3, 34 medical organizations, including ASE through the Alliance of Specialty Medicine, sent a letter to congressional leaders urging swift action to stop a portion of the CMS rule finalized on October 31st that reduces work RVUs and intra-service time for all non-time-based codes by 2.5% in 2026, with additional reductions every 3 years indefinitely. The letter argues this “efficiency adjustment” is based on a flawed assumption that services become more efficient over time, contradicting a peer-reviewed study showing 90% of CPT codes had the same or longer operative times in 2023 compared to 2019. The organizations warn that recurring RVU reductions will significantly impact physician compensation, create financial uncertainty, potentially limit patient access to care, and may drive further healthcare consolidation, urging Congress to use all legislative tools to stop implementation before January 1, 2026.