Tag: evaluation

  • Evaluating and Managing the E/M Codes for 2019 and Beyond

    Evaluating and Managing the E/M Codes for 2019 and Beyond

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    Editor’s Note: This article is the first in a series of articles about notable changes in the 2019 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule. In the 2019 Physician Fee Schedule (“PFS”) Proposed Rule, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) proposed some major changes to the PFS, including changes to the way Evaluation and Management…

  • CMS Releases Physician Payment Rule

    CMS Releases Physician Payment Rule

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    This week CMS released the final physician payment rule for CY 2019. In addition to the changes to the physician fee schedule (slightly higher than the CY 2018 rate), the rule expands payment for telehealth and aligns physician interoperability requirements with hospital requirements and allows more flexibility in the physician quality reporting program. The rule…

  • Medical Association, AMA, Others Take a Stand on New CMS Rule

    Medical Association, AMA, Others Take a Stand on New CMS Rule

    The Medical Association joined with the American Medical Association and more than 170 other organizations to support some components of CMS’ “Patients Over Paperwork” initiative, and say three of its components need to be enacted immediately to reduce “note bloat” redundancy, yet also to oppose a proposal to collapse payment rates for physician office visit services…

  • Big Changes Proposed for Evaluation and Management Services

    Big Changes Proposed for Evaluation and Management Services

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    It’s been more than 20 years since the 1997 revisions to Evaluation and Management guidelines, which focus mainly on physical examination. The 2019 proposed changes provide practitioners a choice in the basis of documenting E/M visits; alleviating the burdens and focusing attention on alternatives that better reflect the current practice of medicine. The implementation of…