Physician Fee Schedule: Collect for Discussing End-of-Life Options

Why This Topic Matters

The article highlights payment and reporting changes that affect Medicare reimbursement planning across multiple specialties. It helps coding and billing teams understand where CMS changed payment policy for advance care planning, evaluation and management-related services, gastroenterology, and pathology.

Article Sections

1. Advance care planning payment under the 2016 Physician Fee Schedule

   Covers CMS’s decision to establish separate payment for advance care planning services for Medicare beneficiaries and the general timing of when those services became available for reporting and payment.

2. Conversion factor update and overall payment impact

   Summarizes the article’s discussion of the 2016 conversion factor and the broader context of Medicare payment changes described in the final rule.

3. Specialty-specific reimbursement changes

   Describes selected payment and RVU changes affecting gastroenterology and pathology practices, along with the article’s discussion of how CMS characterized those adjustments.