The budget reconciliation bill, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), a broad spending and tax bill that includes significant health care policies, was signed by President Trump on July 4 after passing both chambers of Congress.
APMA advocated vigorously in Congress on behalf of the profession. APMA thanks members for taking action through APMA eAdvocacy, generating more than 700 messages to Congress!
The final bill includes several provisions impacting the profession.
Medicare Physician Reimbursement
The OBBBA includes a 2.5-percent Medicare physician payment increase for 2026.
The bill does not include the provision from the original House version to provide a Medicare physician payment update built into baseline Medicare rates, linking the update to the Medicare Economic Index (MEI). While APMA thanks Congress for the short-term fix, APMA continues to call on Congress to reform the broken Medicare payment system.
SALT Deduction
Thanks to APMA’s advocacy efforts, OBBBA retains the state and local tax (SALT) deduction for pass-through entities, including many podiatric practices.
Medicaid
The package implements several changes to the Medicaid program, including work requirements for certain individuals, among provisions impacting Medicaid funding to states.
APMA continues to monitor the impact of Medicaid cuts and is ready to help state societies to protect coverage for foot and ankle care provided by podiatrists.
Student Loans
The bill ends the Graduate PLUS program and subsidized Stafford loans for graduate and professional students starting July 2026. The annual graduate loan is capped at $20,500 for graduate students and $50,000 for professional students. The aggregate limit is capped at $100,000 for graduate students and $200,000 for professional students. It also caps all federal student loans at $257,500.
APMA collaborated with AACPM, APMSA, and MD/DO societies to fight back against these proposals and will continue to advocate to address the student debt crisis.