CY13 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule Fact Sheet

CMS has issued a final rule regarding revisions to payment policies under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) for calendar year (CY) 2013. The final rule also addresses payments for Part B drugs and other Medicare Part B payment policies to ensure that the payment systems are updated to reflect changes in medical practice and the relative value of services. It also establishes a face-to-face encounter as a condition of payment for certain durable medical equipment (DME) items and includes provisions for implementing the value-based payment modifier (value modifier) required by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which will affect payment rates to certain groups based on the quality and cost of care they furnish to beneficiaries enrolled in the traditional Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) program. In addition to many other provisions, the rule also includes a discussion regarding the Chiropractic Services Demonstration program.