The North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS) has joined forces with other state medical and national specialty societies in signing on to a letter in support of the Medicare Patient Empowerment Act (MPEA). This act would establish a Medicare payment option for patients and physicians to freely contract, without penalty, for Medicare fee-for-service services. It would allow Medicare beneficiaries to use their Medicare benefits, and allow physicians to bill the patient for all amounts not covered by Medicare. 

Representative Tom Price (R-Georgia) reintroduced this bill in the US House last week. Rep. Price is an orthopedic surgeon. The proposed legislation would:

• Provide patients with more choice of physicians;
• Increase the number of physicians who will continue to accept Medicare patients;
• Help address physician shortages by attracting physicians into the medical profession; and
• Help preserve our Medicare program, along with patient-centered care, for our elderly and disabled patients.