As the Federation knows, the AMA has strongly urged the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to delay for a year the implementation of its' new consultations billing policy. Our efforts have included multiple discussions between Rebecca Patchin, MD, the AMA's Chair of the Board of Trustees, and Secretary Sebelius. Unfortunately, the AMA has just learned that the General Counsel for the Department of Health and Human Services determined that CMS can not delay a single section of the final Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Rule (MPFS). Rather, CMS must either delay or move forward with the implementation of the entire rule. Therefore, CMS made a decision to implement the entire MPFS rule, including the new consultations billing policy, on January 1. Attached are two CMS educational pieces on the new policy,Transmittal # 1875 and a med learn article. The AMA has requested that CMS clarify some of the policies raised in these documents and take additional educational steps to assist physicians with this new policy. We will keep the Federation posted on CMS's efforts to further educate and answer physicians questions on this new policy.
Terri Marchiori
American Medical Association
Director, Federation Relations
312.464.5271
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Sent by: American Medical Association * Helping doctors help patients
File added: 2010-08-23 21:29:00
File added: 2010-09-07 06:46:42
Last Updated Wednesday, December 23, 2009 - 04:52 PM.
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