SHM’s Letters to Policymakers

SHM signs multi-stakeholder letter in strong support of (H.R. 3514/S. 1816), the “Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025” which would streamline and standardize prior authorization requirements within the Medicare Advantage (MA) program, addressing one of the most persistent barriers to timely, medically necessary care for America’s seniors.

Hospitalists face an estimated 7% cut to their Medicare reimbursement due to the PE reduction. This will significantly decrease available resources for patient-focused quality improvement efforts, innovation, and clinician recruitment, which are all critical for purposes of delivering high quality care and maintaining patient access. Congress must act immediately to stop this arbitrary cut prior to its implementation on January 1, 2026.

Aetna's proposed inpatient claims process presents as reducing administrative burden, it effectively redefines inpatient and observation, undermining statutory protections and Medicare’s own coverage rules.

This legislation would provide much-needed stability and certainty to Hospital at Home Programs by extending waiver flexibilities through 2030 — thereby avoiding another cliff that Hospital at Home programs are currently experiencing after the current authorities expired on September 30, 2025.

This change would create unnecessary administrative burdens, disrupt physician training, and threaten patient care—especially in underserved communities that rely on international medical graduates.

SHM joins the AMA and 54 national medical groups requesting physicians be exempt from the new, higher H-1B filing fees per the National Interest Waiver language within the September 19th Presidential proclamation.

SHM Comments to CMS on the proposed elimination of the Inpatient Only list.

The Society of Hospital Medicine opposes CMS's proposed cuts to facility-based Practice Expense Relative Value Units (PE RVUs), fearing substantial impacts on hospital medicine groups and patient care. They advocate for collaborative discussions on PE concerns, support eliminating telehealth frequency limits, and caution against mandatory reporting changes in the Quality Payment Program.

Letter expresses concerns and continued frustration with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) process for reviewing and selecting quality measures for its programs.

SHM supports this bipartisan legislation that will recapture unused employment-based visas and utilize them to help fill health care staffing shortages by expediting processing for immigrant physicians and nurses.

SHM joins the Moving Health Home Alliance on a letter to Congressional leaders asking for a five year extension of the acute hospital care at home waiver program.