tci Part B Insider - 2005 Issue 4

Coding: Doctors Are Managing More Complex Patients, But E/M Payments Remain Stingy

Old-school E/M levels short-change docs in today's world Medicare is doling out 1992-style payments for 2005-style evaluation and management services, insists a coalition of 27 physician-specialty societies and other physician organizations. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Relative Value Unit Update Committee are approaching their scheduled five-year review of the Medicare fee schedule. The 27 organizations want to see Medicare drastically increase RVUs for most E/M codes. In a Jan. 3 letter to CMS Administrator Mark McClellan, the groups say E/M payments no longer reflect the true cost of patient visits because:    Doctors are...

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