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Government News
Published Online: 21 December 2007

Physicians Face Drastic Cut in 2008 Medicare Payment

Mark MoranAuthors Info & Affiliations
Publication: Psychiatric News
Volume 42, Number 24
https://doi.org/10.1176/pn.42.24.0009a
Without 11th-hour Congressional intervention, physicians will be hit with a 10 percent overall average decrease in payment under the Medicare program in 2008 come January 1, 2008.
The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) established the Medicare physician fee schedule for 2008 late last month as part of a final rule covering a variety of Medicare payment policies. Public comments on the rule are being accepted until December 31.
For individual psychiatrists, the drop in payment will vary depending on individual practice and coding patterns, according to APA's Office of Healthcare Systems and Financing (Psychiatric News, October 19).
For the past several years, CMS has estimated steep cuts in Medicare payment, but this year's cut of 10 percent is the most drastic yet. In past years Congress has intervened just prior to the Christmas congressional recess to reverse the ruling, and this year physician groups are demanding similar action (see Medicare Payment Reform Urgently Needed, AMA Says).
“The proposed 2008 Medicare physician payment rule serves as yet another reminder of the need for congressional action to stop scheduled payment cuts to physicians,” said AMA board member Cecil Wilson, M.D., in a statement released earlier this year when the initial proposed rule was published.
“Next year alone, Medicare will cut payments to physicians by 10 percent. Over nine years the cuts swell to 40 percent, while medical practice costs increase 20 percent. The numbers just don't add up.”
He continued, “Today, Medicare pays doctors the same as it did in 2001. More than 60 percent of doctors say they will be forced to limit the number of new Medicare patients they can treat when the cut goes through. Seniors' access to health care is in jeopardy.”
The final rule on Medicare physician and other Part B payment policies is posted at<http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/07-5506.pdf>.▪

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Psychiatric News
Volume 42 • Number 24 • December 21, 2007
Pages: 9

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Published online: 21 December 2007
Published in print: December 21, 2007

Notes

For psychiatrists, the overall average Medicare payment is expected to drop, though payment to individual psychiatrists could be more or less depending on various factors.

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