5% cut to your pay imposed in 2007 fee schedule - will Congress act?

Why This Topic Matters

The final rule affects how Medicare Part B services are paid, which can influence physician reimbursement, budgeting, and coding/revenue-cycle planning. It also signals broader CMS policy shifts that practices may need to monitor for operational and compliance impact.

Article Sections

1. Overall 2007 physician fee schedule update

   Introduces the Medicare Part B final rule and summarizes the broad payment update for 2007. Discusses the overall context for the physician fee schedule and CMS’s budget-related adjustments.

2. E/M services in the rule

   Reviews the final rule’s changes affecting evaluation and management services and the general impact on reimbursement patterns. Also notes CMS commentary and the broader debate around relative value unit revisions.

3. Outpatient imaging caps could hurt

   Summarizes the rule’s impact on diagnostic imaging payment policy in office settings. Covers the implementation of Medicare-related payment limitations and related adjustments described in the article.

4. Some other highlights of the final rule

   Lists additional policy areas addressed in the final rule, including preventive services, screening, drug payment methodology, testing facility standards, and practice expense updates.

5. Check out how E/M national payments compare 2007 vs. 2006

   Presents a comparative table of national payment changes for selected evaluation and management services. The table is included as a reference to show how the final rule affected payment patterns across service categories.