CMS Drops 3 Final Payment Rules: 12 Things to Know

Physician Fee Schedule rule

Top takeaways from the annual update in the Medicare Program; CY 2022 Payment Policies under the Physician Fee Schedule rules are:

• The conversion factor used to determine provider reimbursement will drop to $33.59 in 2022 from $34.89 this year as a temporary payment boost provided by the Consolidated Appropriations Act expires.
• CMS is amending the definition of interactive telecommunications system for telehealth services to include audio-only communications technology used to diagnose, evaluate or treat mental health disorders in certain cases. The agency also clarified that mental health services can include treatment of substance use disorders.
• The final rule will nearly double Medicare Part B payment rates for certain vaccines, including influenza, pneumonia and hepatitis B. CMS said it hopes the increase in payment rates — from $17 to $30 — will improve access and lead to greater vaccination uptake.
• CMS is updating the clinical labor rates that are used to calculate practice expenses under the Physician Fee Schedule for the first time in nearly two decades. As a result, payments to primary care specialists that involve more clinical labor, such as geriatrics and family practice, are expected to increase.

 

Source: https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/finance/cms-drops-3-final-payment-rules-12-things-to-know.html