H.R. 879: Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act of 2025
Sponsor
Gregory Murphy
Republican · NC-3
Bill Progress
Latest Action · Jan 31, 2025
Referred to Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. for review
Why it matters
Medicare physician payments have lost 29% of their purchasing power since 2001 when adjusted for practice costs. Without this bill, the payment rate that expired in January reverts to a lower baseline — and doctors who already operate on thin margins with Medicare patients face a straightforward business decision: see fewer seniors or stop accepting Medicare entirely.
Congress has been applying Band-Aids to Medicare physician pay since 2021. Each year, lawmakers pass a temporary increase to prevent automatic cuts that would push reimbursement rates even further behind inflation. H.R. 879 is the 2025 version of that patch.
The bill adds 6.62% to what Medicare pays physicians and other practitioners for covered services furnished between April 1, 2025, and January 1, 2026. It covers everyone who bills under the Medicare physician fee schedule — primary care doctors, specialists, surgeons, and eligible non-physician practitioners like nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
This isn't new money solving an old problem. It's Congress extending a lifeline that expires every year. The bill amends Section 1848(t) of the Social Security Act to add 2025 to the list of years covered by these temporary increases — joining 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 before it. Each time, Congress has kicked the can rather than overhauling a payment formula that everyone agrees is broken.
What does H.R. 879 do?
6.62% payment increase for all Medicare providers
Physicians, specialists, and eligible non-physician practitioners get a 6.62% bump on Medicare reimbursement for services furnished from April 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025.
Covers the full range of Medicare practitioners
The increase applies to everyone billing under the physician fee schedule — not just primary care. Surgeons, cardiologists, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants are all included.
Extends a five-year pattern of temporary fixes
Adds 2025 to the list of years receiving temporary payment support, continuing a series of annual patches that began in 2021.
Retroactive start date of April 1, 2025
The increase kicks in for services furnished on or after April 1, 2025 — covering the gap since the previous year's patch expired at the start of the year.
Hard expiration on January 1, 2026
The 6.62% bump disappears at the end of 2025 unless Congress passes another extension or finally enacts a permanent fix to the physician fee schedule.
Who benefits from H.R. 879?
Medicare patients — roughly 67 million Americans
If your doctor stays in Medicare's network, you keep your access. The payment increase reduces the financial pressure that pushes physicians to limit how many Medicare patients they see.
Physicians and specialists who accept Medicare
A 6.62% increase on reimbursement rates that have eroded against inflation for over two decades. It doesn't make Medicare patients profitable for most practices — but it slows the bleeding.
Small and rural medical practices
Practices with high concentrations of Medicare patients operate on the thinnest margins. For a rural family doctor where 60-70% of patients are on Medicare, this increase can be the difference between staying open and closing.
Non-physician practitioners
Nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other eligible practitioners who bill Medicare directly get the same 6.62% bump — critical for the growing share of primary care delivered by non-physicians.
Who is affected by H.R. 879?
Federal budget
The temporary payment increase raises Medicare spending for the covered period. No funding offset is specified in the bill text — the cost comes directly from the Medicare trust fund.
Congress
Passing another one-year patch increases pressure to address the underlying formula. Five consecutive years of temporary fixes make the political cost of inaction — and the eventual price tag of a permanent fix — higher each cycle.
Private insurers
Many private insurance contracts use Medicare rates as a benchmark. Changes to the physician fee schedule can ripple into commercial insurance reimbursement negotiations.
Doctors who stopped accepting new Medicare patients
The temporary increase may not be enough to reverse decisions already made. Practices that dropped Medicare during the payment gap may not re-enroll for a nine-month bump.
H.R. 879 Common Questions
How much is the Medicare physician pay increase in H.R. 879?
6.62% on top of existing Medicare reimbursement rates. The increase applies to all covered services furnished from April 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025.
When does the H.R. 879 Medicare payment increase start and end?
It covers services furnished on or after April 1, 2025, and before January 1, 2026 — a nine-month window. Services provided before April 1 or after December 31 are not covered by this increase.
Are specialists included in the H.R. 879 Medicare payment increase?
Yes. The bill covers all physicians and practitioners who bill under the Medicare physician fee schedule — primary care, specialists, surgeons, and eligible non-physician practitioners like nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
Why does Congress keep passing temporary Medicare payment fixes?
Medicare's physician payment formula hasn't kept up with inflation — rates have lost roughly 29% of purchasing power since 2001. Rather than overhauling the formula, Congress has passed one-year patches every year since 2021. H.R. 879 is the fifth consecutive temporary fix.
Will my doctor stop taking Medicare if H.R. 879 doesn't pass?
Without the 6.62% increase, reimbursement rates revert to a lower baseline. The American Medical Association reports that physician participation in Medicare has been declining, and practices with high Medicare patient loads — especially small and rural ones — face the hardest decisions about continuing to accept new Medicare patients.
Is there a Senate version of H.R. 879?
Yes. S. 1640, the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act of 2025, was introduced in the Senate in May 2025 and referred to the Finance Committee. Both bills address the same Medicare physician payment gap.
How much does H.R. 879 cost?
The bill doesn't specify a cost estimate. Previous one-year Medicare physician payment patches have been scored by the CBO at roughly $3-5 billion. The cost is absorbed by the Medicare Part B trust fund, funded through beneficiary premiums and general revenue.
Does the H.R. 879 payment increase apply retroactively?
It starts on April 1, 2025 — not the beginning of the year. Services furnished between January 1 and March 31, 2025, fall in the gap between when the previous patch expired and when this one kicks in. There is no retroactive coverage for that three-month window.
Based on H.R. 879 bill text
HR879 Legislative Journey
House: Committee Action
Jan 31, 2025
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
About the Sponsor
Gregory Murphy
Republican, North Carolina's 3rd congressional district · 7 years in Congress
Committees: Joint Committee on Printing, House Administration, Veterans' Affairs
View full profile →
Cosponsors (194)
This bill has 194 cosponsors: 114 Democrats, 81 Republicans, reflecting bipartisan support. Cosponsors represent 44 states: Alabama, Arizona, California, and 41 more.
Jimmy Panetta
Democrat · CA
John Joyce
Republican · PA
Kim Schrier
Democrat · WA
Mariannette Miller-Meeks
Republican · IA
Raja Krishnamoorthi
Democrat · IL
Claudia Tenney
Republican · NY
Raul Ruiz
Democrat · CA
Carol Miller
Republican · WV
Ami Bera
Democrat · CA
Jefferson Van Drew
Republican · NJ
Andy Harris
Republican · MD
Richard McCormick
Republican · GA
Cosponsor Coverage Map
Committee Sponsors
Ways and Means Committee
21 of 45 committee members cosponsored
Energy and Commerce Committee
26 of 54 committee members cosponsored
28 Republicans across these committees haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
H.R. 879 Quick Facts
- Committee
- Ways and Means
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- Health
- Introduced
- Jan 31, 2025
Referred to Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. for review
Jan 31, 2025
Constituent Resources
Official Sources
Full bill text, 194 cosponsors, committee referrals, and status tracking for the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act of 2025
Senate version of the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act, referred to the Finance Committee in May 2025
CMS hub for the Medicare physician fee schedule — the payment system this bill temporarily increases by 6.62%
CMS fact sheet setting the CY 2025 conversion factor at $32.35 — a 2.93% decrease from 2024 that this bill's 6.62% increase is designed to offset
Independent congressional advisory commission's explainer on how Medicare pays physicians — the system this bill patches annually
Beneficiary-facing guide to what Medicare Part B covers for doctor visits — the services whose reimbursement rates this bill increases
One of two committees with jurisdiction over H.R. 879 — handles Medicare payment policy and physician fee schedule legislation
Second committee with jurisdiction over H.R. 879 — oversees Medicare payment systems and Social Security Act amendments
Who is lobbying on H.R. 879?
16 organizations lobbying on this bill
HR 879’s lobbying lane is being driven overwhelmingly by provider-side medicine: CharterCARE Health Partners leads with four filings, followed by the American College of Rheumatology with three, while the Healthcare Association of New York State and the American Chiropractic Association are among the repeat players. With 14 of the 16 organizations coming from trade groups, the signal is clear: this is a coordinated push by medical societies and provider associations to shore up Medicare reimbursement and practice economics, not a broad corporate or foreign-backed campaign — though the Society of Hospital Medicine’s decision to flag “Immigration” hints at workforce pressures bleeding into what is ostensibly a payment-stabilization fight.
CHARTERCARE HEALTH PARTNERS | 4 |
AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RHEUMATOLOGY | 3 |
HEALTHCARE ASSOCIATION OF NYS | 2 |
AMERICAN CHIROPRACTIC ASSOCIATION | 2 |
ALLIANCE FOR PHYSICAL THERAPY QUALITY AND INNOVATION | 2 |
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CATARACT & REFRACTIVE SURGERY | 2 |
JOINT COUNCIL OF ALLERGY ASTHMA & IMMUNOLOGY D/B/A ADVOCACY COUNCIL OF ACAAI | 2 |
MEDICAL GROUP MANAGEMENT ASSN | 2 |
SOCIETY OF HOSPITAL MEDICINE | 1 |
HEALTHCARE BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT ASSOC (FKA HEALTHCARE BILLING & MGMT) | 1 |
Showing 1-10 of 16 organizations
H.R. 879 Bill Text
“To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to increase support for physicians and other practitioners in adjusting to Medicare payment changes.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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