Medicare Proposes 7% Reimbursement Increase For Family Physicians; No Increase For Psychiatry & 3% Decrease For Psychologists

On July 6, 2012, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed changes to Medicare reimbursement during 2013 for family practice physicians, starting with a 7% increase to total allowed charges for the specialty. Psychiatrists will see no increase in total allowed charges; and clinical psychologists and clinical social workers will see a three percent decrease. Total allowed charges for the specialty is the sum of the fee schedule reimbursements for covered services, plus coinsurance, and deductibles (which are the financial responsibility of the beneficiary). These three amounts are summed across all services furnished by physicians, practitioners, and suppliers . . .