Last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the final Physician Fee Schedule for Fiscal Year 2015. The annual Physician Fee Schedule includes various policy and payment changes to be implemented in the coming year. This year’s Fee Schedule includes details regarding Medicare’s payment for services outside of a face-to-face visit for managing the care for Medicare patients with two or more chronic conditions beginning in 2015. as well as a new, more transparent process for setting physician payment rates which is designed to allow for public input into the process. Other changes announced include changes to the quality reporting initiatives: Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS), Medicare Shared Savings Program, and Medicare Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program, and further implementation of the physician value-based payment modifier. A summary of the FY2015 policy and payment changes can be viewed on CMS’ website Here.
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