CYRx MD

🚨 Healthcare Policy Shift: A Step Toward Patient-First Care

RFK Jr. recently highlighted what supporters are calling a groundbreaking change: new CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) guidance that allows doctors to be compensated for helping patients safely come off unnecessary medications.

For too long, parts of our system rewarded volume of prescriptions over thoughtful, individualized care. This aims to flip the script — supporting time spent on medication reviews, safe tapering, patient education, and prioritizing root-cause solutions (movement, lifestyle, therapy, and addressing the “why” behind symptoms) when appropriate.

As a spine surgeon, I see many patients on multiple medications for pain and related conditions. Some are essential. Others can contribute to side effects, dependency risks, interactions, or mask underlying biomechanical or inflammatory issues. Optimizing regimens is part of real comprehensive care.

This is meaningful progress toward putting patients over prescriptions.

- Dr Steven Cyr | Orthopedic Spine Surgeon | 📍Houston and San Antonio

Have you or someone you love successfully deprescribed a medication, or struggled with too many? What helped or what concerns remain? Share in the comments — your experiences can help others.