Physicians: Get Ready For Some Big Changes In 2005

Why This Topic Matters

The changes summarized here can affect physician reimbursement, practice operations, and billing compliance for multiple specialties and service categories. Readers tracking Medicare policy updates will want to understand which broad payment and administrative changes were finalized for 2005 and how CMS addressed selected specialty and therapy issues.

Article Sections

1. 2005 physician fee schedule overview

   Introduces the annual Medicare update and summarizes the broad payment changes affecting physician specialties. It frames the article around CMS action for 2005 and the overall direction of reimbursement changes.

2. Payment updates and specialty impacts

   Reviews changes tied to the conversion factor, specialty-level payment effects, and geographic or shortage-area adjustments. It also references practice expense and malpractice-related components of the fee schedule.

3. CPT global period and practice expense survey issues

   Covers CMS decisions involving practice expense data sources and a CPT global period matter discussed in the rulemaking. The section also notes treatment of survey inputs from specialty organizations.

4. Outpatient therapy service staffing requirements

   Addresses billing-related requirements for outpatient therapy services furnished incident to physician services. It focuses on staffing and qualification standards discussed by CMS.