The final 2011 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule is out! The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) just released its 2011 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule. The rule sets the payment rates for all services paid to physicians for Medicare patients in 2011.
As part of the continuing effort to bundle codes commonly reported together , CMS announced its payment rates for new bundled diagnostic cardiac catheterization codes and new lower extremity revascularization codes. Most services that were previously reported with a series of 3-5 codes will now be reported with a single code. Because of the complex bundling and continuing changes to payment methodology, the actual payment changes for these services are difficult to calculate. Overall, lower extremity revascularization services received more significant payment cuts than diagnostic cardiac catheterization services. (For more on the extensive coding changes and how to use them, please join your ACC and SCAI for a special webinar on Wednesday, Dec. 1 at 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (ET). More information will be coming soon.)
CMS also finalized its decision to revise and rebase the Medicare Economic Index , a formula adjustment that impacts all services paid under the physician fee schedule. This decision has a modest impact on cardiology overall, but does slightly moderate projected cuts to imaging services such as echocardiography that are scheduled to be implemented in 2011. However, it moderates projected increases in services such as office visits. The impact of this change depends on the mix of services provided in the practice.
The rule also finalizes requirements for receiving bonuses for PQRI and electronic prescribing and the disclosure of ownership for CT/MR , as well as sets the framework for the required 2012 e-prescribing payment adjustments. In addition, CMS released its final rule on payments for services provided in the hospital outpatient setting. The ACC will release more details on today's rules in the coming weeks.
Questions/Comments? Contact ACC Advocate Editor Steve Erickson at
advocate@acc.org
.