Other changes effective
January 1 unrelated to the SGR
Other changes included in the Medicare physician payment final rule for 2012 also took effect January 1. Therefore, physicians should expect payment rates to change on individual services and procedures based on numerous payment policy changes unrelated to the SGR.
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As the curtain fell on 2011, Congress once again failed to reach
a long-term deal on the abysmal sustainable growth rate (SGR)
formula. Instead, lawmakers slapped on a two-month band-aid
at the last minute to stave off the 27 percent Medicare physician
payment cut that was to hit on Jan. 1, 2012.
With the mess left in the wake of lawmakers’ inaction, here’s
what physicians need to know.
- Selecting Par/Non-Par status for 2012
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
has extended the 2012 Annual Participation Enrollment Period to Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012.
Regardless of what physicians may decide during the extension time period, the effective date for any participation status change still remains Jan. 1, 2012, and will be in force for the entire year.
If a status does change, those claims will be reprocessed and adjusted retroactively. Contractors will accept and process any participation elections or withdrawals made during the extended enrollment period that are post-marked on or before Feb. 14, 2012.
Remember, this patch only goes through February. Let’s hope Congress doesn’t engage in another last minute legislative scramble for a quick fix, but rather delivers a permanent solution. In other words, toss out the band-aids and get some real surgery going on the SGR.