Each year, CMS develops the Physicians Proposed Fee Schedule, set to take effect on January 1st of the following year.
The proposed rule is available in July, and there is a 60-day comment period in which anyone can comment on the proposed rule. At the end of the 60 days, CMS reviews all the comments and in the first week of November the final rule appears in the Federal Register. There can be differences between the proposed rule and final rule, but most frequently there are revisions, but not major changes.
The annual Physicians Fee Schedule Proposed Rule can significantly impact reimbursement for specific procedures or services, as well as the overall items listed on the CMS fee schedule.
Understanding the possible rules before they are final helps the office prepare for the upcoming year in determining the procedures and services they will offer, and the financial impact of the changes to their bottom line.
Physicians, CEO, CFO, Administrators, Managers, Coders, Billers, surgery schedulers, auditors, claims adjusters
Lynn Anderanin, CPC, CPB, CPMA, CPC-I, CPPM, COSC, has over 35 years’ experience in all areas of the physician practice, specializing in Orthopedics. Lynn is currently a Workshop and Audio Presenter. She is a former member of the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) National Advisory Board, as well as several other boards for the AAPC. She is also the founder of her Local Chapter of the AAPC.