Expense Indexes May Not Reflect Your Real Costs, Says GAO

Article Overview

This article covers a Government Accountability Office report about Medicare geographic practice cost indices and the broader policy debate around how physician fees are adjusted across localities. It is relevant to physicians, medical practice administrators, coders, and reimbursement professionals who follow Medicare payment policy, geographic adjustments, and related commentary from the AMA and HHS. The article discusses the data sources behind the adjustments, the reported impact on physician income, and the differing views of federal and professional organizations.