Radiology Coding Alert

CMS backed away from a 50 percent pro fee cut, but did the agency back away far enough?Coders know that as the weather gets cooler, the wait to see what will happen with the Medicare conversion factor begins. For 2011, Congress voted to stave off a 25 percent cut to your Medicare pay. However, that vote only keeps the cuts at bay through Dec. 31, 2011 -- and that date is right around the corner. Effective January 1, your Medicare pay is set to drop again based on the new 2012 Fee Schedule information, unless Congress intervenes to reverse the cuts."The calendar year 2012 Physician Fee Schedule conversion factor is $24.6712," notes the 2012 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule (with comment period).This amounts to a dismal 27.4 percent cut compared to the current rate of $33.9764. Physician advocacy organizations were quick to decry the cuts. Even CMS officials agreed that [...]