2016 Physician Fee Schedule: Includes Changes on Self-Referral Rules, Biosimilars and Reimbursement, Transparency Changes for Another Day

Earlier this year, we wrote about the proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. In the proposed rule, CMS sought comment on whether to add Open Payments data to its "Physician Compare" website. Additionally, the proposal included a decision to fund previously controversial advance care planning codes, the first regulations implementing the post-SGR legislation, Stark Law exceptions, and more. For now, CMS decided against finalizing any decision to publish Open Payments data on the Physician Compare website, according to the rule. The final rule will be published in the Federal Register on November 16, 2015. Comments on the final rule must be received by CMS before December 29, 2015 at 5pm. Open Payments CMS explains in the rule that it sought comment on adding Open Payments data to the Physician Compare website. However, prior to issuing any proposal, CMS is testing data with consumers to establish the context and framing needed to best ensure these data are accurately understood and presented in a way that assists decision making. CMS concluded that Open Payments data are different from the quality of care data included on Physician Compare and it will continue testing with consumers. The agency is taking comments and recommendations under consideration and may address them in future rulemaking. Biosimilars Despite criticism from industry, Congress, and the biosimilars industry, CMS finalized its rule that sets a single reimbursement price for all biosimilars of a given...
Source: Policy and Medicine - Category: American Health Authors: Source Type: blogs