GPCI, practice expense, misvalued code changes to scramble your 2014 payments

Why This Topic Matters

Payment changes in the physician fee schedule can materially alter reimbursement even when overall policy direction is uncertain. Understanding which broad categories of services and locations are affected helps practices anticipate revenue shifts and review fee schedule assumptions for the year.

Article Sections

1. Fee schedule analysis

   Overview of the 2014 Medicare physician fee schedule changes discussed in the article. Introduces the broad payment factors covered in the analysis.

2. MEI change benefits services done in facilities

   Discussion of the Medicare Economic Index revision and its effect on payment weighting between work and practice expense. Includes a table of selected services used to illustrate projected payment impact.

3. N.Y., La., Del. win with GPCI changes

   Summary of the Geographic Practice Cost Index revisions and how they affect local payment adjustments. Covers the phased implementation and examples of areas with larger projected changes.

4. Misvalued codes

   Review of payment changes tied to revised relative value units for selected services identified as potentially misvalued. Includes a table of commonly billed services used in the article's analysis.