Online only: Pay cuts, misvalued codes, policy changes and more in final 2017 fee schedule

Why This Topic Matters

The final fee schedule can affect reimbursement, reporting workflows, and compliance planning across multiple specialties and care settings. Understanding the scope of these changes helps practices identify areas that may require coding, billing, or operational review for the new year.

Article Sections

1. Fee schedule round-up

   A high-level overview of selected payment, policy, and quality reporting items from the final 2017 Medicare physician fee schedule.

2. Payment changes

   A summary of payment-related updates affecting imaging, misvalued services, geographic adjustments, practice expense methodology, therapy caps, and several procedure categories.

3. Policy changes

   A review of administrative and coverage-related policy updates involving supervision, recoupment notification, care management services, diabetes education, and imaging-related criteria.

4. Quality reporting notes

   Notes on quality reporting and performance-based payment adjustments, including value-based modifier results and reporting options for certain participants.