CMS Announces 4.4% Decrease In Medicare Payments, Effective March 1, 2003

OPEN MINDS, The Behavioral Health & Social Service Industry Analyst Industry News Under figures released by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid on December 20, 2002, the Bush administration announced that doctors will see a 4.4% decrease in Medicare payments starting on March 1, 2003. The cuts result from a formula specified in the Medicare law – a complicated accounting mistake. The Bush administration says it has no discretion to halt the cuts – a contention disputed by doctors and by some influential members of Congress. Though it represents a smaller percentage than the expected 5.1% cut, federal officials . . .