FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 14, 2025 

Contact:

Charlotte Pineda

(202) 446-2024

cpineda@neurosurgery.org

Physician-Led Coalition Urges Balanced Medicaid Reforms that Protect Access, Improve Outcomes

Washington, DC—A broad coalition of physician organizations, led by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), and the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), sent a letter to Congressional leadership calling for thoughtful, data-driven Medicaid reforms that preserve coverage, improve care delivery, and prioritize vulnerable patient populations.

The letter, addressed to House and Senate leaders, acknowledges several positive elements in recently proposed legislation, including Medicare payment updates and program integrity provisions. However, it also raises concerns about Medicaid proposals that could disrupt care continuity by shifting financial burdens to states and failing to address longstanding access challenges.

“Physicians see every day how Medicaid impacts patients’ lives,” said Alexander A. Khalessi, MD, MBA, Chair of the AANS/CNS Washington Committee. “We are clear-eyed about the policy strengths and opportunities in caring for the most vulnerable. We outline a better way forward and urge Congress to partner with the physician community in building a stronger, smarter Medicaid program that delivers real value for beneficiaries and taxpayers.”

Among the coalition’s priorities:

• Opposing shortsighted cost-shifting proposals that could jeopardize coverage and continuity of care for vulnerable populations.
• Promoting more effective care delivery through innovation, technology, and models that reward value and improved outcomes.
• Expanding the use of real-world evidence to inform clinical quality, accountability, and sustainable payment reform.
• Advancing prevention and public health strategies to reduce the long-term burden of avoidable and costly conditions.

The sign-on letter emphasizes that “coverage does not guarantee access,” citing the chronic underpayment of physicians by Medicaid and the compounding barriers created by opaque and inconsistent managed care practices (i.e., prior authorization). It also urges Congress to partner with specialty societies and frontline physicians to design sustainable reforms that promote continuity of care and reduce systemic waste.

The full list of medical organizations is provided below:

• American Association of Neurological Surgeons
• Congress of Neurological Surgeons
• American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons
• American Society of Anesthesiologists
• American Gastroenterological Association
• American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
• American Academy of Emergency Medicine
• American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
• American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
• American College of Gastroenterology
• American College of Rheumatology
• American Geriatrics Society
• American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society
• American Society for Clinical Pathology
• American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
• American Society for Radiation Oncology
• American Society for Surgery of the Hand Professional Organization
• American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons
• American Society of Nuclear Cardiology
• American Society of Transplant Surgeons
• American Urological Association
• Digestive Health Physicians Association
• National Association of Spine Specialists
• North American Neuromodulation Society
• Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions
• Society of Hospital Medicine

To read the letter, click here.

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The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), founded in 1931, and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), founded in 1951, are the two largest scientific and educational associations for neurosurgical professionals in the world. These groups represent over 10,000 neurosurgeons worldwide. Neurological surgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disorders that affect the entire nervous system, including the spinal column, spinal cord, brain and peripheral nerves. For more information, please visit www.aans.org, www.cns.org and www.neurosurgery.org.