Online only: CMS finalizes changes to therapy cap, screening tests, Physician Compare

Why This Topic Matters

The changes discussed affect how practices, hospitals, and reporting groups prepare for 2014 Medicare participation. Understanding the scope of these updates helps organizations identify which operational and reporting processes may need attention.

Article Sections

1. Therapy cap extended to critical access hospitals

   Discusses a CMS policy update affecting therapy services furnished in critical access hospitals and related Medicare administrative requirements for 2014.

2. Abdominal aortic aneurysm ultrasound screening coverage changes

   Summarizes changes to Medicare coverage criteria for a preventive screening test and the types of beneficiaries involved.

3. More providers can order colorectal cancer screening fecal occult blood tests

   Explains CMS changes expanding which practitioners may order a preventive screening test and the access rationale behind the update.

4. Physician Compare expansion approved despite provider concerns

   Covers CMS plans for collecting and publishing provider performance and patient experience data on the Physician Compare site.

5. No new multiple procedure policies, but four codes added

   Notes a Medicare payment policy update affecting a small set of therapy-related procedure codes and a deleted code for 2014.

6. Approach for off-campus, provider-based hospital department data collection not finalized

   Describes CMS consideration of methods for collecting data on services furnished in acquired practices and billed as hospital outpatient services.

7. ACO reporting of shared savings

   Summarizes ACO reporting requirements tied to shared savings participation and the CMS web interface.