2010-06-23
ASH is urging the Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to reconsider the elimination of consult
codes in the 2011 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Rule. ASH has
suggested that CMS revise its guidelines regarding prolonged visits and
new patients and/or create a mechanism for reimbursing physicians for a
comprehensive report back to a referring physician. During the past
several months, a number of specialty medical societies, including ASH,
participated in an American Medical Association survey on the impact of the elimination of consult codes.
Survey responses indicate a trend of decline in income with 72 percent of the
5,500 physicians who completed the survey estimating that elimination of billing
for consultations had decreased total revenues by more than 5 percent, and 30 percent of the
physicians noted losses of more than 15 percent.
In addition to this latest effort, ASH had
members of its Committee on Practice meet with congressional members and staff
in May and requested that lawmakers contact the Secretary of Health and Human
Services to request a reevaluation of CMS' decision to not recognize
consultation services. ASH continues to work with the physician community
to assess the impact of this change, to inform ASH membership on implementation
of this policy, and to pursue a resolution to the problem.
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