Trends of medicare reimbursement for breast cancer and reconstructive surgery

This study evaluated trends in Medicare reimbursement for commonly performed breast oncologic and reconstructive procedures. Average national relative value units (RVUs) for physician-based work, facilities, and malpractice were collected along with the corresponding conversion factors for each year. From 2010 to 2021, there was an overall average decrease of 15% in Medicare reimbursement for both breast oncology (-11%) and reconstructive procedures (-16%). Based on these findings, breast and reconstructive surgeons should advocate for reimbursement that better reflects the costs of their practice.