E/M Coding Alert - 2008 Issue 27
Fee Schedule: 2009 Fee Schedule Proposes 5.4 Percent Cut To Medicare Pay
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Article Overview
This article explains a proposed update to the 2009 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and why it drew attention from physician practices. It covers the overall payment outlook, CMS comment timing, and broad policy areas such as quality reporting, diagnostic testing supplier requirements, and recordkeeping expectations for ordering or referring provider identifiers. It is relevant to physicians, practice administrators, billing professionals, and others who follow Medicare payment policy and federal rulemaking.
Why This Topic Matters
The proposal could affect Medicare reimbursement and practice operations across many specialties, and CMS invited public comments before finalizing the rule.
Article Sections
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Proposed 2009 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule
Introduces the proposed update to Medicare physician payment policy for 2009 and the surrounding legislative context. It also notes the rulemaking timeline and public comment period.
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CMS perspective on beneficiary access
Summarizes CMS comments about access to physician services and the agency's view of patient availability trends. The discussion references external monitoring and advisory findings.
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Additional programs and incentives in the fee schedule
Outlines several broader policy initiatives included in the proposed rule. These include quality reporting efforts, enrollment requirements for diagnostic testing, and retention expectations related to provider identifiers.
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How to submit comments
Provides a brief notice on where to review the proposed rule and how to submit feedback through the federal rulemaking process.
What You Will Learn
- The general scope of the proposed 2009 Medicare physician payment update
- Which broad operational and quality-related policy areas are included in the rule
- How CMS framed the proposal and the public comment process
- Who may be affected by the proposed Medicare policy changes
Who Should Read This
- Physicians
- Medical practice managers
- Medical billing professionals
- Coding and reimbursement staff
- Healthcare compliance staff
- Practice administrators
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