Advanced Search

Home Health & Hospice Week

Reimbursement:

Oxygen Rates To Drop 12%

Published on Mon Mar 28, 2005

The HHS Office of Inspector General has finally completed its study on Medicare oxygen rates, and it appears oxygen suppliers are headed for rate cuts of up to 12 percent very soon.

The OIG found average Federal Employee Health Benefit Plan median payment rates are 12.4 percent lower than average Medicare rates for stationary oxygen equipment and 10.8 percent lower for portable equipment, says a report released March 30.

In the Medicare Modernization Act, Con-gress mandated the cuts to five oxygen HCPCS codes to 2002 FEHBP levels. The oxygen cuts first pegged at up to 20 percent were supposed to take effect Jan. 1, but were delayed while the OIG studied pricing further (see Eli's HCW, Vol. XIV, No. 3).
You’ve reached your limit of free articles. Already a subscriber? Log in.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe today to continue reading this article. Plus, you’ll get:
  • Simple explanations of current healthcare regulations and payer programs
  • Real-world reporting scenarios solved by our expert coders
  • Industry news, such as MAC and RAC activities, the OIG Work Plan, and CERT reports
  • Instant access to every article ever published in your eNewsletter
  • 6 annual AAPC-approved CEUs*
  • The latest updates for CPT®, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II, NCCI edits, modifiers, compliance, technology, practice management, and more
*CEUs available with select eNewsletters.

Other Articles in this issue of

Home Health & Hospice Week

View All