| Having a tough time decoding the 2010 Medicare | | | | Medicare. |
| Physician Fee Schedule? | | | | Every July, a draft revised fee schedule comes out |
| If you’re wondering what Medicare Physician Fee | | | | for the following year. There’s also a public |
| Schedule (MPFS) is, you’re not alone. Everyone | | | | comment period that CMS provides to all, during which |
| does that when they first step into a career in medical | | | | one can complain about it. This is when you see |
| coding & billing. | | | | specialty societies asking to be paid more. It’s here |
| Read on to find out what it actually is. | | | | till November 10, when it is published in the Federal |
| Every year, the MPFS outlines the rates physician | | | | Register. It goes into effect on January 1, next year. |
| practices stand to gain for the work they do (with | | | | When you read through the announcement from CMS |
| some extra money for practice expenses and | | | | about the final 2010 fee schedule, it may look like |
| malpractice insurance supposedly built in). | | | | physicians are getting their payments slashed by 21 |
| Each CPT code, under the Fee Schedule, is assigned | | | | percent. Don’t rush to any decision; CMS has put |
| a relative value unit (RVU). These RVUs are adjusted | | | | that in because they are supposed to be following an |
| based on the practice’s geographic location as | | | | old law that doesn’t work too well. Every time, |
| expenses like the practice’s rent differ across the | | | | Congress comes in at the last minute and restores the |
| country. The conversion factor is the national dollar | | | | pay cut; this year too it’s not going to be any |
| amount multiplied by the geographically adjusted RVU. | | | | different. |
| The fee schedule is a big thing because that is where | | | | You certainly need to prepare your practice for one of |
| Medicare sets reimbursements. What’s more, | | | | the biggest fee schedule changes in recent times. So |
| it’s also the place where CMS makes a lot of rules | | | | get going! |
| for your practice to follow if you happen to bill | | | | |