decisionhealth Newsletters, Coder Pink Sheets - 2008 Issue 8 (August)
Physicians escape Medicare fee cut; CMS releases proposed fee schedule
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Article Overview
This article is for physicians, coders, billing staff, and revenue cycle professionals tracking Medicare payment policy. It reviews the temporary halt to physician fee reductions, the timing of claims processing changes, and CMS’s proposed 2009 physician fee schedule. The piece also outlines several broad areas of proposed policy change, including telehealth billing, diagnostic testing standards, review of potentially misvalued services, and expansion of the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative.
Why This Topic Matters
Medicare physician payment updates can affect claim processing, reimbursement expectations, compliance planning, and preparation for annual fee schedule changes. The article helps readers understand the broader policy environment and the categories of CMS proposals that may influence operational and coding workflows.
Article Sections
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Medicare physician fee cuts postponed
Discusses the legislative and CMS actions related to the temporary suspension of scheduled Medicare physician payment reductions. It also addresses claim hold timing and reprocessing activity.
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Proposed fee schedule out
Summarizes the main topics included in CMS’s proposed 2009 Medicare physician fee schedule. The section covers several categories of proposed changes to payment policy and reporting programs.
What You Will Learn
- How recent legislation affected the Medicare physician fee timetable
- What CMS said about claim processing during the transition period
- Which broad policy areas are included in the proposed 2009 physician fee schedule
- How the proposal relates to telehealth, diagnostic testing, valuation review, and quality reporting
- When CMS planned to publish the final physician fee schedule and implement changes
Who Should Read This
- Physicians
- Medical coders
- Billing staff
- Revenue cycle managers
- Practice administrators
- Compliance personnel
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