Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement

 Physicians will ring in 2011with a new patient notice requirement, if they provide advanced imaging (MRI, CT, or PET scans) under the Stark In-Office Ancillary Services exception. As required by the Affordable Care Act, physicians self-referring a patient to an advanced imaging service must inform the patient in writing of their financial interest in the service. The disclosure also has to list nearby alternative suppliers where the patient could receive the imaging service. The requirement goes into effect on Jan. 1. The final 2011 Medicare physician fee schedule rule finalized the disclosure mandate, says attorney Claire Turcotte, with the Dayton-Cincinnati, Ohio office of Bricker & Eckler. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services did, however, make some modifications in response to public comments about the burden associated with the disclosure requirements in the proposed physician fee schedule rule, she says. Fewer alternatives: The proposed rule said physicians had to list 10 [...]