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08/24/2020
You may need to keep track of two different times for the new prolonged service code — currently held by placeholder CPT code 99XXX — when it debuts in 2021. CMS will not follow the time ranges that the AMA released in its guidelines for office E/M visits and prolonged services.
08/24/2020
Get a better understanding of what’s at stake for telehealth this year and next with five questions and answers about the telehealth section of the proposed 2021 Medicare physician fee schedule.
08/24/2020
The proposed 2021 Medicare physician fee schedule, released Aug. 4, sets a new direction for core E/M office visit services starting Jan. 1. But that’s just a slice of what’s on the books for next year. CMS outlined a broad range of proposals, from implementation dates to scope of practice trends and a whole lot in between. Here you’ll find a comprehensive analysis of the proposed rule, and you can start by marking your calendar:
08/24/2020
You won’t find many plus signs on the list of “selected procedures” that CMS released alongside the proposed 2021 Medicare physician fee schedule. Except for E/M services, reduced fees dominate.
08/17/2020
In the wake of CMS’ plan to cut the Medicare physician fee schedule conversion factor (CF) by 11% in 2021, a host of specialty societies and advocacy organizations are leading calls for federal intervention.
08/17/2020
You won’t find any deviations or sidesteps from the planned changes coming to the E/M office visit code set (99202-99215), after CMS confirmed them in the proposed 2021 Medicare physician fee schedule. That means you can mark your calendar now: The largest overhaul to E/M coding and documentation guidelines in 25 years will go live Jan. 1, 2021.
08/17/2020
To understand the significance of the E/M updates contained within the proposed 2021 Medicare physician fee schedule, Part B News touched base with revenue cycle and practice management specialist Cathy Archuleta, CPC, manager with SunStone Consulting in Harrisburg, Pa.
08/17/2020
The Quality Payment Program (QPP) is slated to retrench slightly due to COVID-19, but take note of several big news items: You’ll find a new reporting scheme for MIPS Alternate Payment Models (APM), a smaller-than-expected rise in the overall performance threshold and several telehealth innovations.
08/17/2020
Coders will have a small set of new procedure codes to juggle while they adjust to the new system for coding E/M office visits. Here are some highlights gleaned from the proposed 2021 Medicare physician fee schedule. See the chart, p. 10, for a preview of projected payments based on the proposed relative value units (RVU) and conversion factor.
08/17/2020
CMS is giving providers in the Shared Savings Program a potentially problematic new quality reporting mechanism and a two-strikes policy for underperformers.

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