AAPM&R Continues to Respond to the MPFS Proposed Rule

August 16, 2018

AAPM&R is continuing to pursue joint efforts to oppose the E/M payment changes proposed in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) proposed rule. Earlier this month, the American Medical Association (AMA) formed a joint work group with representatives from the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Panel and the Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC) to discuss alternative proposals to the MPFS E/M proposal. Your Academy’s RUC and CPT representatives are participating in the work group’s future calls and will provide physiatry-specific feedback to the work group.

Your Academy is continuing to collect member input regarding the impact of the MPFS E/M proposal.  To-date, we’ve received helpful input from several members.  Here’s what your colleagues are saying:

“Having a flat fee for levels 2 through 5 for outpatient E&Ms would be devastating for patients and providers who care for complex patients…We will not be able to give patients the time they need, to review their records, provide counseling time, perform extensive exams.”

“I will be shutting down my private practice altogether…these proposed Medicare cuts will not allow for an outpatient physiatrist solo private practice to exist.”

“95 percent of my clinical load is e/m.  I will need to see more patients per hour to make my overhead.  This is not the right direction for patient care.”

Please share your story with us: https://www.aapmr.org/advocacy/action-center/take-action-now.

For more information, view this quick overview.