decisionhealth Newsletters, Part B News - 2003 Issue 5 (May)
Suspension of practice expense survey could hit your wallet
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Article Overview
This article covers the suspension and future uncertainty of AMA practice expense survey activity, the role of survey data in CMS physician fee schedule payment setting, and the challenges specialty societies face when trying to collect and submit their own practice expense information. It is relevant to physicians, practice administrators, specialty societies, and coding or reimbursement professionals who follow Medicare payment methodology and survey-based RVU updates.
Why This Topic Matters
Practice expense data can influence future Medicare physician payments, so gaps or delays in survey activity may affect whether reimbursement keeps pace with actual practice costs. The article also highlights how specialty-level survey efforts, CMS review processes, and society participation can shape payment data over time.
Article Sections
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Impact of suspended AMA survey on CMS practice expense data
Discusses the interruption of AMA survey activity and the potential effect on the age and reliability of practice expense data used in Medicare payment calculations. Also covers how CMS has been relying on prior survey information and committee review processes.
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Specialty society surveys and related concerns
Describes the shift of data-collection burden to specialty societies and summarizes concerns about cost, representativeness, and uneven participation. Includes perspectives from multiple specialties and a CMS-related review process.
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Specialty surveys work, says physical therapy group
Reviews one specialty society’s experience submitting its own survey data and the resulting payment impact. Notes general planning themes discussed for survey development and agency interaction.
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Budget problems hurt SMS survey
Explains the budget-driven reduction in AMA survey activity and the uncertainty around future survey timing and funding. Covers the change from the broader survey to a scaled-back version and possible options for future support.
What You Will Learn
- How practice expense survey data relates to Medicare physician payment methodology
- Why gaps in survey activity can raise concerns about outdated payment inputs
- What challenges specialty societies face when gathering and submitting practice expense information
- How a specialty survey can influence payment updates in one clinical area
- Why survey design, timing, and funding matter for reimbursement data collection
Who Should Read This
- Physicians
- Practice managers
- Medical coders
- Reimbursement specialists
- Specialty society staff
- Health care policy analysts
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