Op-Ed

Dr. Casey Chapman: Medicare cuts hit independent doctors hard. The impacts are borne by patients

The Advocate

(July 25, 2025)

Sixty of Louisiana’s 64 parishes are classified as “health professional shortage areas” by the federal government, meaning there are over 3,500 people for every one provider. The shortages are particularly severe in specialties such as geriatric and preventive medicine that serve the most vulnerable Louisianans.

Our state’s powerful congressional delegation has the chance to address this state of affairs in the months to come. Louisiana patients should hope they take it.

About the American Independent Medical Practice Association

The American Independent Medical Practice Association is a physician-led national advocacy organization representing more than 600 independent medical practices that provide quality, affordable health care for more than 25 million patients each year.

These independent practices are critical access points for health care across the country — at more than 4,200 medical office locations and over 575 independent ambulatory surgery centers in 45 states and the District of Columbia.

We advocate on behalf of more than 12,000 physicians caring for patients in the fields of Primary Care and Internal Medicine as well as the specialties of Cardiology, Dermatology, Gastroenterology, Hematology/Medical Oncology, Nephrology, Neurosurgery, Ophthalmology, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery, Otolaryngology, Radiation Oncology, Urology, Urgent Care, Vascular Medicine, and Women’s Health.

Media Contact:

Brigit Wolf
brigit@keybridge.biz
202-980-9256