2015 Medicare Fee Schedule Includes Chronic Care Billing Code, Sunshine Act Changes July 7, 2014 Medicare, News, Payment, Practice Management 2015 Medicare Fee Schedule, PFS, Sunshine Act, chronic care management services, Physician Fee Schedule 0 Beginning next year, primary care physicians and others could begin billing separately for chronic care management (CCM) services if the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) proposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is adopted. The proposed rule contains updates to the PFS, adds several services that Medicare could cover under its telehealth benefit, and makes changes to some of the disclosure provisions in the Physician Payment Sunshine Act. However, it does not include any PFS updates tied to the sustainable growth rate. The proposed rule establishes a code with a payment rate of $41.92 that could be billed no more than once per month per qualified patient for Medicare beneficiaries with “multiple, significant chronic conditions (two or more),” according to CMS. The agency defines chronic care management as including: regular development and revision of a plan of care communication with other treating health professionals medication management In addition, the rule would allow more flexibility in supervising clinical staff providing CCM services. Reversing a proposal from last year, practitioners and practices would not have to meet separate standards in order to furnish CCM services under the rule. Telehealth services CMS proposes to cover under Medicare include annual wellness visits, psychoanalysis, psychotherapy, and prolonged evaluation and management services. Regarding the Sunshine Act, CMS is proposing to begin requiring disclosure of payments drug and medical device manufacturers make to speakers at certain CME events. CME events previously had been exempted from Sunshine Act reporting requirements. The proposed rule will be published in the Federal Register on July 11. CMS will accept comments until September 2. Click here to view the CY 2015 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule. Source: Medical Economics, July 7, 2014 Comments are closed.
