The CMS said physicians will begin seeing a 2% pay cut in Medicare payments due to the sequester beginning April 1. AMA President Dr. Jeremy Lazarus noted increases in Medicare reimbursement already lag behind growth in the cost of providing care and said the cuts threaten to reduce access to care and place an "unsustainable burden on physician practices." The cuts also will harm patients, Lazarus said: "One in five Medicare patients already is facing difficulties in finding a doctor to take them. If you cut their pay, this access problem will only get worse."