June 1, 2026
Dear PALTmed Members and Colleagues,
I wanted to share an update on one of the most important advocacy fights our community has taken on in recent years, and the news is encouraging.
Together, we are making real, meaningful progress to reverse cuts in reimbursement for visits in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs, POS 31) by increasing rates to match those currently maintained for nursing facility (NF, POS 32) services.
These are all the activities we have undertaken with your help:
- Activated over 200 advocates to engage the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) directly through letters sent to the agency.
- Sent a coalition letter from key stakeholder organizations asking CMS to immediately reverse these cuts.
- Met directly with CMS officials and provided them real-world examples of the devastating impact the POS 31 cut has had on access to quality care. We highlighted concerns about clinicians entering other fields that promise higher reimbursement.
- Advanced bipartisan congressional outreach on behalf of our patients and the PALTC community.
None of this happens without you. Your engagement, sharing your stories, and speaking up for your patients and your profession is essential to transform policy conversations into a policy change.
As we continue to press CMS and Congress, I want to encourage you to take one more step locally: consider writing an op-ed or letter to the editor in your regional newspaper or healthcare publication. Local voices carry tremendous weight with elected officials, and a well-placed piece about how this reimbursement policy affects real patients in your community can open doors that national advocacy alone cannot. Download a “one-pager” on this issue, and if you'd like guidance or talking points, please don't hesitate to reach out—we're here to help.
I am optimistic about where this effort is headed. The coalition we've built, the doors we've opened, and the voices we've amplified represent the best of what our unique voice in PALTC medicine can do when we work together. I truly believe we are going to get this right.
Thank you for being part of this fight.
With gratitude and optimism,
Dr. Leslie Eber
President, PALTmed