AMA CPT® Assistant - 2012 Issue 1 (January)
2012 Medicare Physician Payment Changes (January 2012)
January 2012 pages 3-5 2012 Medicare Physician Payment Changes This article summarizes the major issues and changes in physician payments from Medicare for 2012. 2012 Conversion Factor In November 2011, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that the 2012 Medicare conversion factor will be $24.6712. If the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) is implemented in 2012, the impact on physician payments will be a 27.4% reduction. At the time of publication, the American Medical Association (AMA) continues to urge Congress to replace the 27.4% reduction to the Medicare conversion factor with a positive update...
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Article Overview
This article reviews Medicare physician payment changes taking effect in 2012 and explains the broader policy areas behind them. It is relevant to physicians, coders, billers, practice managers, and compliance staff who need to understand Medicare payment updates, resource valuation changes, and incentive program requirements. The discussion covers conversion factor updates, RUC and CMS valuation activity, practice expense and geographic practice cost changes, multiple procedure payment reduction changes, preventive services, PQRS, and e-prescribing.
Why This Topic Matters
The article helps readers track annual Medicare payment policy shifts that can affect reimbursement, reporting workflows, and practice operations across multiple specialties and service categories.
Article Sections
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January 2012 pages 3-5
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What You Will Learn
- What types of Medicare physician payment changes were addressed for 2012
- How CMS and advisory groups influenced payment-related valuation updates
- Which broad payment policy areas were updated for the year
- How quality and incentive programs were discussed in relation to physician reimbursement
Who Should Read This
- Physicians
- Medical coders
- Medical billers
- Practice managers
- Compliance staff
- Revenue cycle professionals
Codes Discussed
Code Ranges Discussed
Modifiers Discussed
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