There is a reason behind Medicare's revision of "Consultations". "Referrals" contribute to the transfer of care utilized in Medicare's policy. Medicare is still consider a "payer" and write their own rules. There are distinct differences between AMA CPT coding policy and applied insurance carrier's reimbursement rules. Please stop thinking they are the same, medical coding is reporting the service to the insurance carrier. If they were the same, insurance carrier's would not have a need to have separate reimbursement policies for contracted providers.