ACR Opposes the Removal of Consultation Codes and Cuts in Payment
July 15, 2009
On July 1, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released its proposed physician fee schedule for 2010, which includes a removal of consultation codes and a 1 percent cut in Medicare payments for rheumatology services. This cut is on top of a scheduled 21.5 percent reduction to the Medicare conversion factor due to the flawed sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula.
While Congress has indicated a willingness to provide a fix to the SGR to avert the 21.5 percent reduction, it is unclear how or when this would happen. Even without the Medicare payment reduction, the 1 percent cut in overall payment and the removal of consultation codes would severely hamper the ability of rheumatologists to recoup costs associated with caring for patients with arthritis, rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases.
The ACR will be sending letters to CMS and to Congress opposing these cuts and the removal of consultation codes. Additionally, the ACR is working with other medical specialty groups to ensure that these proposed changes do not take place.
The ACR will continue to provide updates on the proposed physician fee schedule for 2010. If you want to contact your members of Congress about this issue, visit the ACR Legislative Action Center. If you have any questions about ACR’s efforts to counter these proposed payment cuts and the elimination of consultation codes, or would like to receive the ACR’s Calls to Action, contact the Government Affairs Department at 404-633-3777 or .
