CMS Issues Final Rule for Medicare Coverage of End-of-Life Talks November 2, 2015 Medicare, News, Payment 2016 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, end-of-life 0 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that will allow Medicare to reimburse physicians for end-of-life discussions with patients effective January 1, 2016. CMS in July released a proposed rule that would provide Medicare coverage for end-of-life counseling. The change was included in CMS’ proposed updates to the 2016 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. Key policies finalized in the 2016 payment rule include: Advanced care planning: The final fee schedule includes two CPT codes to reimburse for advance care planning. Compensating health care professionals for time spent with patients discussing treatment wishes and goals of care is a critical step forward in honoring patient treatment preferences, particularly for those nearing the end of life. It allows physicians to include end-of-life discussions as part of patients’ annual check-ups. Physician payments: The final rule includes a 0.5% overall increase in Medicare reimbursement in 2016 for all providers. Merit-Based Incentive Payment System: In the final rule, CMS has made changes necessary to begin implementation of the new Merit-Based Incentive Payment System for physicians and other practitioners, which will fully take effect in 2019. CMS said the rule is “consistent with recommendations from a wide range of stakeholders and bipartisan members of Congress.” CMS has also said the rule aligns with the American Medical Association’s coverage recommendations. Comments are closed.
