Advocacy is one of the three pillars of ASRA Pain Medicine's mission. ASRA Pain Medicine addresses this core purpose by advocating at the regulatory level in the best interest of our members and the patients they serve. (Note: ASRA Pain Medicine does not participate in political advocacy.)
The Latest Health Policy Updates
Spending Bill Includes 2.5% Update for 2026 Medicare Fee Schedule
The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA) that was passed on July 4th included a one-time 2.5% update to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) for CY2026. ASRA Pain Medicine was one of 75 health care organizations that advocated for an update in the MPFS as part of the massive legislative funding package.
The multidisciplinary coalition of organizations, led by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, urged legislators to include a permanent, annual inflationary update as part of the funding package. The organizations proposed tying the MPFS to the Medicare Economic Index to help ensure predictable annual reimbursement levels.
While that provision was not included in the legislation, the 2.5% update is still seen as a positive development after five years of conversion factor reductions, including a 2.83% cut to the conversion factor for CY2025.
ASRA Pain Medicine will continue to advocate for fair reimbursement rates as concerns have been raised about potential additional budgetary adjustments. Experts have said the OBBBA’s overall spending could trigger the Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, which was designed to automatically reduce spending—up to 4% annually for Medicare—to offset legislation that increases the federal deficit. Medicare advocates are expected to push for another law to waive or suspend those cuts.
The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the OBBBA will result in over $1 trillion in federal healthcare spending costs over the next decade, mostly targeting Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
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Spending Bill Includes 2.5% Update for 2026 Medicare Fee Schedule
The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA) that was passed on July 4th included a one-time 2.5% update to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) for CY2026. ASRA Pain Medicine was one of 75 health care organizations that advocated for an update in the MPFS as part of the massive legislative funding package.
The multidisciplinary coalition of organizations, led by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, urged legislators to include a permanent, annual inflationary update as part of the funding package. The organizations proposed tying the MPFS to the Medicare Economic Index to help ensure predictable annual reimbursement levels.
While that provision was not included in the legislation, the 2.5% update is still seen as a positive development after five years of conversion factor reductions, including a 2.83% cut to the conversion factor for CY2025.
ASRA Pain Medicine will continue to advocate for fair reimbursement rates as concerns have been raised about potential additional budgetary adjustments. Experts have said the OBBBA’s overall spending could trigger the Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, which was designed to automatically reduce spending—up to 4% annually for Medicare—to offset legislation that increases the federal deficit. Medicare advocates are expected to push for another law to waive or suspend those cuts.
The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the OBBBA will result in over $1 trillion in federal healthcare spending costs over the next decade, mostly targeting Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
Pain Medicine Coalition
ASRA Pain Medicine and the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) established the Pain Medicine Coalition (PMC) in 2024 to advance the common goals of the pain medicine community and to advocate for responsible pain care for all patients. The International Pain & Spine Intervention Society (IPSIS) and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) are also members of the coalition. Its purpose is to develop, monitor, and advocate for responsible health care policy for people who experience both acute and chronic pain and the physicians who support them. They do their work through clinical care, education addressing quality of care, access to care, public and professional education, and research.
Read more about the Pain Medicine Coalition:
ASA and ASRA Pain Medicine: Speaking With One Voice
President’s Message: The Power of ASRA Pain Medicine Volunteers
Are You a Member of AMA?
The American Medical Association (AMA) is the nation's largest physician organization and works to advocate for key issues that matter in your practice such as prior authorization, Medicare reform, promoting physician-led work, and more. ASRA Pain Medicine works with the AMA to advocate for the issues that matter in your practice with representation in the AMA House of Delegates, the Relative Value Scale Update Committee, and the Current Procedural Terminology Committees. ASRA Pain Medicine provides expert information and testimony specific to regional anesthesia and acute and chronic pain.
Learn more about the benefits of membership in AMA.
Read the latest AMA news and sign up for news alerts at ama-assn.org.
Practice Management
Find more health policy information in our Practice Management Resource Center.