Elimination of Medicare Consult Codes Reducing Specialist Revenues By More Than 15%

OPEN MINDS Weekly News Wire Strategic Health Care News A recent survey of physicians found that the elimination of Medicare consultation codes has reduced specialists’ revenues by more than 15% since January 1, 2010. Codes for outpatient and inpatient consultations were eliminated by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as of January 1, 2010. Before they were eliminated, specialists used a certain set of codes when another physician referred a patient for an opinion; the codes indicated where the consultation took place, but did not distinguish between new or established patients. Specialists are now required to use . . .