Physician_Fee_Schedule_Rules / Final_2004_fee_schedule2

Why This Topic Matters

The rule affects how Medicare physician services are priced and how several policy areas are administered, so it is relevant to organizations that bill under the physician fee schedule or track annual CMS payment changes.

Article Sections

1. Final Sustainable Growth Rate for 2002

   Discusses the final 2002 sustainable growth rate and the factors used in the CMS calculation. Includes background comparisons to earlier estimates and Federal Register notices.

2. Calculation of 2004, 2003, and 2002 Sustainable Growth Rates

   Provides a year-by-year discussion of the components used in the sustainable growth rate calculations. Covers physician fee updates, enrollment assumptions, economic growth inputs, and legal or regulatory factors.

3. Anesthesia and Physician Fee Schedule Conversion Factors for Calendar Year 2004

   Explains the 2004 conversion factor updates for physician fee schedule and anesthesia services. Includes the supporting calculation framework and related policy context.

4. Telehealth Originating Site Facility Fee Payment Amount Update

   Describes the annual telehealth originating site facility fee update and the associated Medicare payment amount for the applicable period. Also references the relevant HCPCS payment category.

5. Provisions of the Final Regulations

   Summarizes the final policy changes adopted in the rule, including changes tied to geographic practice costs, new or revised payment policies, and selected specialty impacts.

6. Collection of Information Requirements

   Addresses paperwork and recordkeeping implications of the rule and the administrative review status of the document.

7. Response to Comments

   Explains how CMS handled public comments received on the rule and how future responses would be addressed.

8. Regulatory Impact Analysis

   Summarizes the rule's economic and regulatory impact analysis, including considerations under federal review requirements and specialty-level payment effects.

9. Physician Fee Schedule Relative Value Units

   Discusses RVU policy changes, budget neutrality, and specialty impact analysis for the physician fee schedule.

10. Geographic Practice Cost Index Changes

    Covers the revised geographic practice cost index framework and locality-level adjustment information used in the rule.

11. Tracking codes

    Describes CMS policy for national payment policy and national payment amounts related to tracking codes.

12. G Codes for Managing Dialysis Patients

    Addresses payment policy changes related to dialysis patient management and the establishment of new procedure code categories.

13. Rebasing and Revising the MEI

    Summarizes changes to the Medicare Economic Index methodology and the effect on the 2004 physician fee schedule.

14. Definition of Diabetes for Diabetes Self Management Training

    Explains the revised diabetes definition used for outpatient diabetes self-management training and related beneficiary eligibility policy.

15. Payment Policies for Anesthesia Services

    Describes policy changes for anesthesia services involving teaching situations and resident participation.

16. Alternatives Considered

    Notes that the preamble discusses policy options and the rationale for selected approaches.

17. Impact on Beneficiaries

    Addresses the anticipated beneficiary impact of the rule and related access-to-care considerations.

18. List of Subjects

    Lists the regulatory subject areas covered by the final rule and the affected parts of the Code of Federal Regulations.