Physicians - Info About Rules & Your 2010 Medicare Fee Schedule

Individual physicians have traditionally been shy about responding to rule proposals by Medicare (CMS - The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services). So if you are a physician or medical group administrator, you might read this document (click title above for direct link to a large file) so that you can add your (or the organization or institution you represent) input to the decision makers (including Congress people) who are planning to reduce Medicare physician payments by about 21.5%. If you don't care, don't bother, but then don't complain at the lunch table in the doctors' lounge when you get slammed next year.

Below is a brief extract from the large document (click title for direct link).

"SUMMARY: This proposed rule would address proposed changes to Medicare Part B payment policy. We are proposing these changes to ensure that our payment systems are updated to reflect changes in medical practice and the relative value of services. This proposed rule discusses: Refinements to resource-based work, practice expense and malpractice relative value units (RVUs); geographic practice cost indices
(GPCIs); telehealth services; several coding issues; physician fee schedule update for CY 2010; payment for covered part B outpatient drugs and biologicals; the competitive acquisition program (CAP); payment for renal dialysis services; the chiropractic services demonstration; comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities; physician self-referral; the ambulance fee schedule; the clinical laboratory fee schedule; durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS); and certain provisions of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008. (See the Table of contents for a listing of the specific issues.)"