The 黑料网® (黑料网®) commented on several issues and made specific recommendations in a Jan. 28, 2021 letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) concerning the 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) final rule.
CMS finalized the changes to the Evaluation and Management (E/M) services for CY 2021. The 黑料网 expressed concern about the sizable cuts this update will impose upon radiology and other medical specialties who do not frequently bill E/M codes, particularly in light of the COVID-19 public health emergency. The 黑料网 asked that CMS revisit the impacts in the 2022 rulemaking cycle and that there should be a ceiling and a floor threshold in terms of percent increase/decrease in payment in a given year. The 黑料网 also commented on supervision of diagnostic test by non-physician providers and finalized valuation of specific codes.
Due to the advocacy work by an ACR-led coalition, the year-end omnibus bill rolls back the payment cuts to radiologists from 10% to approximately 4% for 2021.