CMS Releases Proposed 2014 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published the proposed 2014 Medicare fee schedule for physician services on July 8, 2013. A summary of the proposed fee schedule changes follows:     

• An approximate 24.4 percent physician payment cut due to the sustainable growth rate formula (SGR)   
• Implementation of the physician value-based payment modifier by applying the 2016 modifier to groups of 10 or more eligible professionals (EPs) and requiring large groups to assume risk through the quality-tiering component of the program   
• Changes to the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS), such as requiring EPs to report at least nine measures covering at least three of the National Quality Strategy Domains and adding a new “qualified clinical data registry” reporting method to the program   
• Limitations to the payment for approximately 200 services where the physician fee schedule nonfacility payment is higher than the total payment to furnish the same service in a facility setting (either a hospital outpatient department or an ambulatory surgery center)

CMS will accept public comments on the proposed rule until Sept. 6, and plans to issue a final rule by Nov. 1. To read an in depth analysis of the 2014 proposed physician fee schedule click here.