The rule would drop the conversion factor by $3.83 to $32.26. The recent confirmation from CMS that it will move ahead with damaging Medicare payment cuts to 37 professions — including a 9% cut to physical therapy — … Before I continue, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page. Pathology services slated for 9% cut in 2021 MPFS Proposed Rule August 4, 2020 Following a significant delay due to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, CMS issued the 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule Tuesday, Aug. 4. If the proposed fee schedule is finalized, Medicare reimbursement would be cut by 9% for cardiac surgery, 8% for thoracic surgery, 6% for ophthalmology and … CMS said the budget neutrality law mandates an adjustment to account for changes in relative value units. 2. CMS is selectively applying this policy change to certain services. Find out more how Medicare payments and policies will change under the propose rule. CMS has finalized its calendar 2021 physician pay rule, which cuts physical and occupational therapy payments for nursing home patients by 9%… The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is expected to finalize this rule in early November. It is critical that physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and physical therapy students submit comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in response to the 2021 Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule, which includes the potential cut in payment for physical therapy services by an estimated 9% beginning January 1, 2021. More for Primary Care Docs. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s happening in the world of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS): In the 2020 final rule, CMS finalized a payment boost for evaluation and management (E/M) CPT codes. KEY TAKEAWAYS. The current conversion factor is $36.09. CMS is cutting outpatient PT and OT Medicare payments by 9% beginning January 1, 2021. We think the educator/clinical instructor/school angle on the 9% cut would be particularly impactful for legislators to hear on a wider … ACAPT supports the ongoing APTA focus on addressing the proposed 9% Medicare cut by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).. We've heard from educators and know the 9% cut would negatively impact the PT student programs and clinicals. CMS is planning to cut outpatient therapy payments by 9%. Yep—you read that header correctly. The proposed 9% cut to Medicare payment for pathology services is the result of CMS deciding to change policy on evaluation and management (E/M) coding. CMS released its Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule for 2021 Aug. 3, which made several drastic cuts to payment rates for both general and specialty surgeons.. What you should know: 1. Changes to evaluation and management (E/M) payments in the CY2020 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MFPS) Proposed Rule would cut radiology reimbursement by 9 percent or $450 million a year, totaling $5.6 billion over 10 years. The conversion factor is $32.41, which is a whopping decrease of $3.68 from the 2020 MPFS conversion factor of $36.09. Physical and occupational therapists would see a 9% payment cut, according to the proposal. Pathology and Independent Labs are expected to see overall reimbursement cuts of 9% and 5%, respectively, while radiology will experience a 10% cut. In order to fund E/M payment increases for primary care providers, CMS is cutting payments for Part B physical and occupational therapy services by a whopping 9%.