Governor Jenniffer González Colón asked Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), to reconsider a proposal that could reduce reimbursements to doctors and specialists who treat multiple health problems during a single visit. In a letter sent Monday, she urged CMS to maintain current reimbursement policies, warning that Puerto Rico’s physicians already face significantly lower reimbursement levels than their mainland counterparts while operating under a healthcare system with limited funds.
She said the rule could push doctors to split services across multiple appointments, increasing wait times for specialized care and burdening elderly patients with mobility issues, transportation difficulties, or dependence on caregivers. González Colón also warned that further reductions in Medicare reimbursements could increase economic pressure on medical practices and contribute to more doctors and specialists leaving Puerto Rico.
Elena Nogales Pérez, president of the Puerto Rico Dermatological Society, said the proposal could limit Medicare beneficiaries’ access to specialized services and raise administrative costs for medical practices.