MIPPA

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On October 14, 2008, CMS is hosting a conference at CMS headquarters in Baltimore for non-accredited suppliers of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS)   At the event, CMS will provide technical guidance on how to comply with the DMEPOS quality standards.

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) met on October 8 and 9, 2009 to discuss a variety of Medicare payment and policy issues, including the in-office ancillary exception to the physician self-referral law, provider consolidation, physician fee schedule prices, and medical education.

On September 3, 2008, CMS is hosting a Special Open Door Forum to provide guidance to durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) providers on the supplier accreditation provisions in the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA).  MIPPA states that eligible professionals and other persons are exempt from meeting the…

On August 18, 2008, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published its final Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) rule for fiscal year (FY) 2009, which begins October 1, 2008. CMS estimates that the rate updates and other policies in the rule will increase Medicare payments to acute care hospitals by almost $4.75 billion in FY 2009, although the impact on particular procedures varies.  The following are highlights of the sweeping regulation.
Continue Reading Medicare IPPS Final Rule

On July 15, 2008, the House and Senate overrode the President’s veto of H.R. 6331, the “Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008” (MIPPA).  The law rescinds a 10.6% cut in physician payments and delays a controversial medical equipment competitive bidding program, both of which temporarily went into effect July 1, 2008, and makes numerous other Medicare and Medicaid policy changes.  Highlights of the law include the following:

  • Physician Payments: MIPPA cancels a 10.6% Medicare physician fee schedule cut that was triggered on July 1, 2008 and provides a 1.1% increase for 2009 (rather than the forecasted 5.4% cut).  The law also expands the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative, promotes electronic prescribing, and requires non-hospital advanced imaging providers to be accredited by 2012.

Continue Reading Medicare Physician Payment/DMEPOS Bidding Delay Legislation Enacted

When MIPPA was enacted July 15, 2008, it included a number of retroactive Medicare policy provisions. CMS has begun providing guidance on implementation of these provisions, including the positive update in the physician fee schedule, the reinstatement of the therapy cap exception process, and the ability of all suppliers to furnish items in the first…

Certain retroactive payment increase provisions in MIPPA result in increased beneficiary copayment amounts for certain items and services furnished from July 1 through July 14, 2009. As a result, beneficiaries who already paid or were billed for cost-sharing amounts based on lower prices temporarily in effect are liable for additional cost-sharing amounts. On July 24, 2008, the…

On September 18, 2008, CMS is hosting a 2008 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) provider conference call to provide an update on registry reporting, e-prescribing incentives, and PQRI feedback reports. Pre-registration is required.

On July 15, 2008, the House and Senate overrode the President’s veto of H.R. 6331, the  “Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008” (MIPPA).  The law rescinds a 10.6% cut in physician payments and delays a controversial medical equipment competitive bidding program, both of which went into effect July 1, 2008, and makes numerous other Medicare and Medicaid policy changes. The vote was 70-26 in the Senate and 383-41 in the House, following the President’s veto earlier in the day.
Continue Reading MIPPA: Medicare Physician Payment/DMEPOS Bidding Delay Legislation Enacted