AMA: 10 Medicare payment policy revisions you need to know

Wednesday, November 19, 2014 09:16 AM

Chances are you haven’t been able to read through the nearly 1,200 pages that constitute the 2015 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule final rule released Oct. 31 and published last Thursday in the Federal Register. The American Medical Association presents the 10 top payment policy changes discussed in this mammoth document that physicians and their staffs need to know about.

Among the policy changes discussed in the top 10 list are:

• The sustainable growth rate formula calls for a 21.2 percent cut to physician payments, effective April 1.
• Continuing medical education will not be reported under the Physician Payments Sunshine Act.
• Proposed penalties under the value-based payment modifier will be scaled back.
• The timeline for submitting new codes and revaluations of services will shift.

Click here to view the full list on the AMA’s website. From here you can download the AMA’s full summary or view fact sheets from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.