PHYSICIANS: Medicare Makes It Clear- Consults A 1-Doctor Affair

Why This Topic Matters

Clear understanding of these Medicare rules helps practices avoid misapplying shared-visit billing concepts to services that CMS treats differently. It is especially relevant for organizations that coordinate physician and non-physician practitioner workflows for hospital-based care.

Article Sections

1. Medicare consultation guidance

   Introduces CMS clarification about consultation services and explains the policy context behind the article. It focuses on how consults are distinguished from other Medicare-billed services.

2. Shared visit rules and inpatient consults

   Discusses the relationship between shared visits, physician services, and non-physician practitioner involvement. It covers the inpatient setting and the Medicare manual update referenced in the article.

3. Critical care and operational practice

   Addresses how the same general concern extends to critical care services and describes how some practices handle physician and non-physician practitioner workflow. It also notes the broader operational impact for specialty groups and hospital-based teams.