Government
CMS issues Medicare physician pay rule, extends participation deadline
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Jan. 19, 2004
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in late December 2003 issued the regulation implementing the 1.5% physician payment increase, which went into effect Jan. 1.
Because of the late timing of the rate change, the agency has extended until Feb. 17 the deadline for doctors to decide whether they want to participate in Medicare this year.
Participating physicians are paid using a higher fee schedule but agree to bill beneficiaries only for the 20% co-payment. Nonparticipating physicians are paid using a lower fee schedule but can charge beneficiaries more.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/01/19/gvbf0119.htm.