ACP supports new Medicare fee schedule

“Medicare has long undervalued office visit services provided by internal medicine and other cognitive and primary care physicians, and CMS’s decision to move forward with higher payments for E/M services is a major step toward recognizing the importance of these services to our patients,” Jacqueline W. Fincher, MD, MACP, president of ACP, says in a recent news release.

The new payment rates are part of the proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for 2021, which will take effect on Jan 1.

“The improvements that CMS has included in the proposed fee schedule for 2021 will go a long way to help physician practices next year and in the future. However, more still needs to be done to support physician practices, particularly primary care practices, to weather the COVID-19 pandemic,” Fincher says.

For more information on the proposed fee schedule, visit Medical Economics.