Academy Requests Congress Suspend Expected Medicare Cuts Associated with Increase in E/M Code Reimbursement
The Academy along with multiple physician and allied health groups signed on to a letter to congressional leaders requesting that they take action to suspend expected cuts to Medicare reimbursement in 2021.
In the 2020 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) final rule, CMS announced increased payment for the office/outpatient evaluation and management (E/M) codes. However, in an effort to maintain budget neutrality and offset the E/M increased payments, CMS also announced significant decreases in Medicare reimbursement in 2021 that will directly impact providers with low utilization of E/M services and providers who do not bill office/outpatient E/M codes.
This letter to Congress requests that they suspend budget neutrality and not reduce reimbursement rates in light of the financial pressures the affected providers are already facing in light of the COVID-19 crisis.