Slight pay boosts, new codes take effect April 1

Why This Topic Matters

The update affects reimbursement status for a few procedures and adds a new set of reporting codes tied to a voluntary physician reporting program. It also clarifies the status and modifier framework used for measurement reporting, which is important for accurate claim preparation and quality reporting.

Article Sections

1. Physician fee schedule update and payment changes

   Overview of the Medicare April update affecting physician fee schedule payment amounts and coverage status for selected procedures. The section also notes the timing of the changes and their retroactive application.

2. New measurement code status and reporting program

   Discussion of the new payment status category for measurement-oriented reporting codes and the voluntary reporting program tied to those codes. The section explains the general reporting context and where the codes are submitted on the claim form.

3. Performance measure modifiers

   Summary of revised modifier definitions associated with performance measure reporting. The section identifies the modifier framework introduced in the update.

4. 116 new measurement codes that can be reported as of Jan. 1

   A code list showing the newly introduced measurement reporting codes referenced by the article. The list spans multiple clinical quality and preventive care topics.