SHM's Letters to Policymakers

SHM emphatically supports the reintroduction, and the passage, of the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act (S. 709/H.R. 1585). This bill would reauthorize and expand the program that allows foreign-born medical graduates to practice medicine in rural and underserved areas.

SHM signs letter urging Members of the House of Representatives to insist to their leadership that language addressing the 2025 Medicare physician payment cut be added to the full year Continuing Resolution.

SHM joins the Friends of AHRQ coalition in support of full funding of the agency for fiscal year 2025.

SMH joined a broad coalition of physician organizations calling to reverse the 2.83% cut to Medicare reimbursement that went into effect on January 1 and provide for an increase in reimbursement rates by passing H.R. 879, the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act.

The waiver for allowing for the expansion of the Hospital at Home program is set to expire in March 2025. SHM joins a multi-stakeholder letter urging Congress to extend the Acute Hospital Care at Home (AHCAH) waiver program for 5-years.

SHM supports the Passage of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, a bipartisan bill that establishes grants that support training in strategies to reduce and prevent suicide, burnout, behavioral health conditions, and substance use disorders among healthcare professionals.

SHM offered comments on the proposed Contract Year 2026 Medicare Advantage proposed rule strengthening rules around MA plan coverage criteria and prior authorizations.

SHM joins AMA and other specialty societies on letter to CMS about MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs) to improve reporting in the Quality Payment Program.

SHM joins 32 other organizations in thanking Representatives Tom Suozzi and Morgan Luttrell for including the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act in their immigration working group legislative framework. The letter also urges inclusion of the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act.

SHM along with 37 other organizations, calls on Congressional leadership to pass the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act and Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act in the end-of-year legislative package.

SHM, along with numerous specialty and state medical societies, calls on Congress to pass H.R. 10073 before the end of the year to stop the impending Medicare pay cuts and provide a payment update.

On behalf of the undersigned medical organizations, the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) is writing to you to express our deep concern about the significant supply chain disruptions resulting from the damage inflicted by Hurricane Helene on Baxter’s North Cove manufacturing site in North Carolina. The undersigned organizations represent hundreds of thousands of clinicians who care for patients in hospital and out-of-hospital settings, emergency medical services (EMS) systems, and other healthcare facilities.

The Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM), representing the nation’s more than 50,000 hospitalists, is pleased to offer our comments on the proposed rule entitled Medicare and Medicaid Programs; CY 2025 Payment Policies under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment and Coverage Policies; Medicare Shared Savings Program Requirements; Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program; and Medicare Overpayments (CMS-1807-P).

SHM joins the GME Advocacy Coalition response to the Senate Finance Committee's draft proposal to expand GME.

SHM supports the reintroduction of the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act. This legislation will help protect patients from unnecessary delays in care by streamlining and standardizing prior authorization under the Medicare Advantage (MA) program.

SHM has submitted comments to the Senate Finance Committee's White Paper addressing efforts to improve the care of chronic conditions.

SHM submitted comments on the 2025 IPPS Proposed Rule. SHM commented on proposed changes to the HCAHPS survey, proposed measures in the Inpatient Quality Reporting Program, and more.

SHM joins 434 medical, public health, and research organizations in a letter urging the House and Senate Appropriations Committee to provide funding for firearm mortality and morbidity research.

SHM supports the Senate reintroduction of the Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act. This legislation will count all time spent under observation towards Medicare's three-day stay inpatient requirement for SNF coverage qualification.

The waiver allowing for the expansion of the Hospital at Home program is set to expire at the end of 2024. SHM joined a multi-stakeholder letter urging Congress to extend the Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver program for at least five years.

SHM joins 170 other signatories urging the appropriations subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related agencies to allocate $500 million in funding for the Agency for Healthcare and Research and Quality (AHQR)

SHM joined other members of the Observation Coalition in commenting on the proposed appeals process for patients who were admitted as an inpatient and retroactively designated under outpatient.

CMS has submitted comments regarding the proposed appeals process in which patients, under limited circumstances, can appeal a retroactive classification as an outpatient.

SHM supports the reauthorization of this important legislation, which establishes grants that support training in strategies to reduce and prevent suicide, burnout, behavioral health conditions, and substance use disorders among healthcare professionals.

SHM supports the passage of the Directing Our Country's Transfer of Residency Slots (DOCTORS) Act. This legislation will help address nationwide physician shortages by reallocating unused waivers from the Conrad 30 waiver program to states that use their full allotment.