AMA report suggests Medicare spending fell 19% YoY during first half of 2020; reduction in nephrology much smaller The report from the American Medical Association (AMA) found Medicare payments to physicians the first six months of 2020 were $9.4 billion lower than during the same time the previous year. In April of last year, YoY payments fell by 57% over projected pre-pandemic levels. Billing reductions were not uniform across specialties, ranging from highs of 34% and 29% for physical therapy and ophthalmology respectively, to just a 6% drop-off in nephrology to $1.032 billion. The AMA says specialties like nephrology, radiation oncology and hematology/oncology that are difficult to delay were more resistant to payment reductions due to the pandemic, as were services that could be provided remotely.