Proposed 2012 physician fee schedule would cut your pay by 30%

Why This Topic Matters

The proposal could affect Medicare reimbursement, specialty payment levels, and practice workflows across multiple service areas. It also signals upcoming changes that may influence reporting, wellness visit processes, imaging reimbursement, and telehealth participation.

Article Sections

1. Proposed fee schedule impact on physician payments

   Summarizes the overall proposed Medicare payment update and discusses the broad impact on physician reimbursement. It also notes projected effects on selected service types and specialties.

2. Annual wellness visit updates

   Describes proposed changes to annual wellness visit requirements and the addition of a health risk assessment. The section also addresses how follow-up care may be prompted by wellness visit findings.

3. PQRS and EHRs

   Covers proposed changes that would expand how electronic health records may support quality reporting. It places the proposal in the context of PQRS participation requirements.

4. PQRS group reporting

   Explains proposed simplification of group reporting options and notes updates to the measure set used for reporting. The section focuses on reporting structure rather than payment details.

5. Telehealth changes

   Reviews proposed updates to the telehealth service list and criteria for adding services. It highlights the article’s focus on access and service inclusion under Medicare telehealth policy.