November 10, 2020: MGMA and coalition urge commercial payers to cover supplies necessary to provide safe patient care during COVID-19

Identical letters were also sent to Aetna, Anthem, BCBSA, Cigna, HCSC, Humana, and UHG. 

November 10, 2020

Matt Eyles
President & CEO
America’s Health Insurance Plans
601 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
South Building, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20004

Dear Mr. Eyles:

The undersigned organizations represent the hundreds of thousands of physicians who provide care for our nation’s patients every day. The COVID-19 (2019 novel coronavirus) public health emergency (PHE) has placed unprecedented strain on our physician members, including ongoing threats to their financial viability due to months of lost revenue from practice closures and/or operating at reduced capacity. In July and August 2020, the American Medical Association (AMA) surveyed 3,500 physicians who provided at least 20 hours of patient care per week prior to the pandemic. A strong majority (81%) of surveyed physicians said revenue was still lower than pre-pandemic, with an average drop in revenue of 32%. Compounding the financial stress of lost revenue, practices are also incurring additional costs for heightened infection control protocols and personal protective equipment (PPE). To help address the significant fiscal pressures placed on physicians by the COVID-19 pandemic, we urge America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) to encourage its member plans to immediately implement and pay for Current Procedural Terminology® (CPT) code 99072 to compensate practices for the additional supplies and new staff activities required to provide safe patient care during the PHE.
 

View the full letter