The 2012 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule includes numerous changes that will affect physician payment policies, including a 29.5 percent physician payment cut that is scheduled to go into effect Jan. 1 as a result of the 2012 conversion factor.
In addition to this cut, the 2012 fee schedule contains a variety of changes to Medicare that will affect medical practices, such as modifications to federal incentive programs and Medicare billing rules.
Among the proposed 2012 Medicare issues to be discussed are
- Adjustments to certain work, practice expense and malpractice relative value units (RVUs)
- Changes to e-prescribing incentive reporting criteria and penalties
- Adjustments to the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS)
- Reimbursement changes for certain imaging services
- The addition of a new required component to the annual wellness visit
- The creation of a PQRS-Meaningful Use pilot
- Adjustments to payments for services provided by select providers within a three-day window of an inpatient hospital stay
- Modifications to Medicare-approved tele-health services
- Medicare provider participation options for 2012
This Webinar will provide an overview of the Medicare payment formula, including the conversion factors for calendar-year 2012 and the reimbursement calculation. Gain an appreciation of how the reimbursement system works to inform your contracting discussions with private payers who base their reimbursement decisions on Medicare rates and policies.
Following this live 90-minute Webinar, you will be able to
- Identify changes to Medicare reimbursement for 2012
- Recognize and employ new Medicare billing rules
- Understand recent changes to Medicare quality reporting programs, including PQRS and e-prescribing
Allison Brennan, senior policy advisor, MGMA
Brennan helps lead the MGMA’s advocacy efforts to help medical group practices meet the challenges posed by today's complex healthcare marketplace. She serves as the staff liaison with the MGMA assemblies and societies, works on private sector advocacy initiatives and supervises the government affairs section representatives. She joined MGMA in the fall of 2009 and served as a government affairs representative for two years before moving into her current position.
Prior to joining MGMA, Brennan worked as a program manager at the Brookings Institution from 2005 to 2009. In this position, she designed and managed educational seminars focused the policy process and federal leadership development. From 2003 to 2005, she worked at the National Patient Advocate Foundation (NPAF). At NPAF she lobbied state governments on behalf of patients, managed grassroots efforts and researched health policy.
Brennan has a bachelor’s degree in government and economics from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA and holds a master’s degree in public policy from Georgetown University, with a focus on health policy.
Jennifer Martin, government affairs representative, MGMA
Martin answers member questions about technical details of federal legislative and regulatory issues, coordinates grassroots efforts by MGMA members and speaks before MGMA state and national meetings.
Prior to joining MGMA, she worked as a senior account executive at Ketchum. In this role she worked with government clients such as CMS and ONC on issues including ICD-10, Version 5010 and the Meaningful Use Incentive Programs to create educational materials and conduct outreach to stakeholders.
From 2007 to 2010 she worked at the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO). At BIO, she kept members abreast of key FDA regulatory issues of concern and worked with members to develop responses to agency requests for comments.
Martin has a bachelor’s degree in journalism with a minor in political science from the Pennsylvania State University. She also holds a master’s degree in legislative affairs from the George Washington University. Jennifer joined MGMA in early 2011.
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