Urology Coding Alert

The fruit of intensive lobbying by physician groups on Capitol Hill took formal shape Feb. 26, as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services unveiled its Medicare payment rule for physicians a rule that turned a planned 4.4 percent pay cut into a 1.6 percent increase.

"The action CMS is taking today will ensure that the doctors who treat Medicare patients will see an increase in the payments they get for those services, rather than the reduction previously anticipated," Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson said. "We commend Congress for giving CMS the authority to make these changes."

According to Barbara Cobuzzi, MBA, CPC, CPC-H, CHBME, president of Cash Flow Systems, Lakewood, N.J., any January and February services submitted on March 1 or later will be paid at the new 2003 rate although they are due only the 2002 rate. On July 1, 2003, Medicare will ask you for money to recoup the overpayment of 1.6 percent for the January and February services submitted on March 1 or later. This means your Medicare beneficiaries will pay 1.6 percent too much on their copays. Cobuzzi recommends holding all the claims you have from January and February that are not submitted by March 1 and submit them after July 1. All of the new 2003 codes will be paid at the 2003 rates as of March 1 for all dates of service. CMS extended the deadline until April 14, 2003, for physicians to decide whether they want to participate in Medicare.