In a continuation of the Administration's efforts to make Medicare spending data more transparent, CMS has released detailed payment information regarding physicians and other providers who order durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) for Medicare beneficiaries. The new "Referring Provider DMEPOS Public Use File" includes provider-specific Medicare Part B DMEPOS utilization, payment, and submitted charge amounts broken down by HCPCS code for calendar year 2013. According to CMS, the data reflect more than 100 million claims and $11 billion in Medicare allowed amounts. CMS cautions that the files may not be representative of a physician's entire practice, since they include only Medicare fee-for-service information. Furthermore, the information is "not intended to indicate the quality of care provided," CMS observes, nor is it risk-adjusted to account for differences in patient population health.
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