Dear Apollo Dermatology patients,
I am writing to ask a small favor, and to explain why it matters for your care.
On July 14, Medicare proposed a new payment rule that would take effect in 2027. Under this rule, doctors would be penalized for doing a procedure on the same day as an office visit. That includes things we do routinely, such as a biopsy of a suspicious spot, freezing a precancer, or removing a skin cancer.
Right now, if I see something concerning during your skin exam, I can take care of it while you are already here. If this rule is finalized, that same care would often have to be split into two appointments.
What that would mean for you:
- A second trip and a second bill. Coming back for the procedure means another appointment, another copay, and more coinsurance.
- Waiting longer for answers. A biopsy that happens today would instead wait until a follow up visit can be scheduled. For skin cancer, that delay matters.
- Real hardship for some patients. More time off work, more driving, and a genuine burden for anyone with mobility or transportation challenges.
This is not only a dermatology issue. The rule would apply to procedures across all of your doctors.
Medicare closes public input on September 14, 2026, so the window to speak up is short. The most helpful thing you can do is email the people who represent you in Washington and ask them to raise this directly with the leadership at Medicare. A phone call from a senator or a member of Congress to the CMS Administrator carries weight that individual letters cannot.
Who to contact
Both Michigan senators represent every patient on this list:
- Senator Gary Peters:https://www.peters.senate.gov/contact/email-gary
- Senator Elissa Slotkin: https://www.slotkin.senate.gov/contact/contact-senator-slotkin/
For the House, it depends on where you live. Rochester Hills, Rochester, and southern Macomb County are in the 10th District:
- Congressman John James: https://james.house.gov/contact/
If you live elsewhere in Oakland County or you are not sure, look up your representative by ZIP here:
https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
What to say
Each website has a short contact form. Paste the message below, then add a sentence or two in your own words. Personal messages get far more attention than identical form letters, so that one sentence really does matter.
I am your constituent and a Medicare patient in Michigan.
I am writing to ask you to speak directly with CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz and CMS leadership to oppose the cuts in the Medicare 2027 Proposed Rule, file code CMS-1848-P, and specifically the penalties on procedures performed on the same day as an office visit.
My dermatologist has been able to biopsy or treat a suspicious spot during the same appointment where it was found. That saved me a second trip, a second copay, and weeks of waiting to learn whether I had skin cancer.
[Add a sentence here about your own experience. For example: how far you drive to appointments, whether you have had a skin cancer found and treated in one visit, or what a second appointment would cost you in time or money.]
Splitting necessary care into two visits raises costs for patients, delays diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer, and creates a real burden for older adults and anyone with transportation or mobility difficulties. Please raise this with Dr. Oz and ask CMS not to finalize this proposal.
The whole thing takes about two minutes, and the deadline is September 14.
Thank you for taking the time.
Sincerely,
Arjun Dupati, MD, FAAD
Apollo Dermatology
Schedule your appointment today with trusted board-certified dermatologist Dr. Arjun Dupati. You deserve the best.
📞 248-436-4888
📍 Apollo Dermatology | Rochester HIlls, Michigan
By Dr. Arjun Dupati, Board-Certified Dermatologist and Fellowship-Trained Mohs Surgeon
