ENROLLED
2024 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 104
BY REPRESENTATIVE FREEMAN
A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
To memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions as are necessary to preserve
patient access to physician care by enacting systemic reform to the Medicare
physician payment system and providing an annual inflationary update to physician
fees based on the Medicare Economic Index for Medicare physician services.
WHEREAS, elderly and disabled patients deserve access to physicians with
specialized training and rely on Medicare to supplement the cost of specialized health care;
and
WHEREAS, individuals who depend on Medicare are at serious risk of losing access
to physician care; and
WHEREAS, physicians are the only healthcare provider type whose Medicare
payments do not automatically receive an annual inflationary update; and
WHEREAS, Medicare payments to physicians have been steadily declining relative
to inflation and have lagged behind the rate of inflation growth by twenty-six percent since
2001; and
WHEREAS, physicians are struggling to keep their practices open due to inflation
and burnout from the COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, there have been three consecutive cuts to Medicare within the past three
years totaling a ten percent cost reduction; and
WHEREAS, the lack of adequate reimbursement and rising practice costs may force
physicians to stop treating Medicare patients or close their practices permanently; and
WHEREAS, current policies disproportionately impact small, independent, and rural
physician practices, as well as those treating low-income or historically minoritized or
marginalized patient communities.
Page 1 of 2 HCR NO. 104 ENROLLED
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions as are necessary to preserve
patient access to physician care by enacting systemic reform to the Medicare physician
payment system and providing an annual inflationary update to physician fees based on the
Medicare Economic Index for Medicare physician services.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
governor, the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United
States Congress, and to each member of the Louisiana congressional delegation.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
Page 2 of 2