Family Physicians Respond to 2026 Proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 15, 2025

Media Contact:   
Julie Hirschhorn  
AAFP Public Relations  
jhirschhorn@aafp.org    

“Medicare ensures that millions of Americans can access comprehensive, continuous primary care. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) is encouraged by a number of provisions in the 2026 Medicare physician fee schedule that builds a stronger, more sustainable health care system that values and supports primary care. 

The AAFP welcomes steps from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to strengthen primary care, including:

• Modernizing how medical services are valued, with changes aimed at better reflecting the real costs of providing care.

• Recognizing that out-of-pocket costs can be a barrier to patient-centered care models.

• Expanding support for behavioral health integration and at-home care by broadening the use of the G2211 and other add-on codes.

These actions will move us closer to a health care system that prioritizes patients and the preventive care that primary care physicians provide every day to keep the country healthy.

We are also encouraged that CMS proposed to increase the conversion factor for 2026 by 3.8% for qualifying alternative payment models and 3.6% for all other physicians. However, the majority of the increases for 2026 are temporary adjustments attributable to H.R. 1, which will expire at the end of the year. In 2027, practices will face another pay cut and struggle to keep pace with inflation.

The AAFP continues to urge Congress to establish an adequate annual inflationary adjustment. It’s a necessary step toward ensuring practices can keep up with rising costs and meet patient needs.”

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