Final Rule 2006: As it stands, ObGyns face a 5% pay cut from Medicare

Why This Topic Matters

Medicare fee schedule updates can alter reimbursement and payment methodology across physician services, so practices need to know which policy changes may affect claims and planning. The article also flags CPT updates and imaging payment adjustments that may influence coding workflow and carrier reimbursement.

Article Sections

1. Medicare 2006 physician fee schedule final rule

   Overview of the Medicare final rule and the anticipated impact on physician reimbursement. The section places the policy changes in the context of annual fee schedule updates.

2. CPT 2006 sedation code revisions

   Discussion of CPT updates affecting conscious sedation coding and the replacement structure described in the article. The section addresses how the revision is presented in the fee schedule context.

3. Relative values for selected CPT codes

   Coverage of selected CPT codes assigned relative values under Medicare. The section also notes facility and non-facility payment context mentioned in the article.

4. Multiple procedure payment reductions for diagnostic imaging

   Explanation of Medicare’s planned payment reduction methodology for certain diagnostic imaging services. The section describes how the policy is framed for technical components and grouped imaging families.