Washington, D.C. (July 15, 2026)
Accountable for Health supports the introduction of the bipartisan Patients First Act and applauds Reps. John Joyce, Greg Murphy, and Kim Schrier, along with the House Republican and Democratic Doctors Caucuses, for advancing this important legislation.
When Congress enacted MACRA more than a decade ago, it established a vision for moving Medicare toward accountable, value-based care. That vision has driven meaningful progress, but Medicare’s physician payment system is long overdue for modernization.
We are encouraged that the Patients First Act builds on MACRA’s foundation by preserving stronger payment updates for physicians participating in Advanced Alternative Payment Models, taking meaningful steps to reform the broken Merit-based Incentive Payment System, and exploring new approaches to strengthening primary care through prospective payment. The bill also recognizes the need to reduce barriers to participation in accountable care while policymakers continue working to expand value-based care opportunities.
As Congress considers this legislation, we look forward to working with the bill’s sponsors to strengthen these proposals and ensure they maximize physician participation in accountable care and improve quality while lowering costs for Medicare beneficiaries.
We appreciate the bipartisan commitment behind this effort and look forward to continuing to work with Congress to refine the legislation and advance a more accountable, prevention-oriented Medicare program.
Contact:
Mara McDermott, CEO of Accountable for Health
mmcdermott@accountableforhealth.org
About Accountable for Health
is a 501(c)(4) national advocacy and policy analysis organization accelerating the adoption of sustainable, effective accountable care that improves health care quality and outcomes and lowers costs. We represent a broad, diverse group of accountable care stakeholders working to improve the way health care is delivered to people across the country, across various payers, programs, and delivery models. A4H provides advocacy, research, and education to improve outcomes and patient experiences while lowering costs.
For more information, visit https://accountableforhealth.org/. Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter (@acct4health). ###
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