Medicare proposes 4% cut in 2004 gastro fees

Why This Topic Matters

The piece helps readers understand how pending Medicare payment policy could alter GI reimbursement and why specialty practices may want to review the proposed changes before final rulemaking.

Article Sections

1. Projected 2004 Medicare fee changes for gastroenterology

   Summarizes expected reimbursement shifts for the specialty and provides context on the proposed fee schedule and conversion factor changes.

2. Impacts on common GI procedures

   Discusses projected payment effects for frequently performed gastroenterology services in different site-of-service settings.

3. Policy changes affecting Category III codes

   Covers CMS plans related to emerging technology and tracking codes and the move toward national payment amounts.

4. Practice Expense Advisory Committee recommendations

   Describes CMS inclusion of practice expense input recommendations in the proposed schedule for existing CPT services.