Overhauling the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule: How the Patients First Act and Provider Reimbursement Stability Act Could Save Medical Practices

As the 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) final rule approaches, the medical coding and billing community is bracing for another round of steep reimbursement cuts. However, a glimmer of hope has emerged on Capitol Hill. Bipartisan lawmakers, heavily backed by the American Medical Association (AMA), are advancing two landmark pieces of legislation: the Patients First Act of 2026 (H.R. 9693) and the Provider Reimbursement Stability Act (H.R. 8163). Together, these bills aim to fundamentally overhaul the MPFS, halt the perennial cycle of payment reductions, and stabilize the financial foundation of independent medical practices.

The 2027 Threat and the Billing Reality

For medical coders, billers, and practice managers, the stakes in late 2026 have never been higher. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed a 1.68% conversion factor cut for most physicians in 2027 [