Mick RaichThe Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released its proposed rules for the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS) and the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS).
According to The Pathology Blawg, the proposed changes come as troubling news for clinical labs and pathologists.
CMS notes there are about 800 new tests that didn’t exist when the CLFS was first created—and while these advances have led to cheaper tests, they could translate into profound reductions in clinical lab reimbursements. In some cases, reductions could amount to as much as 26% for independent labs (in addition to reimbursement reductions labs have already faced).
Three separate groups would be affected in different ways by these changes: hospital-based pathologists, independent labs, and hospital-owned labs and histology departments.
An upcoming webinar from Pathology Blawg, titled “Proposed CMS Rule Changes: How Labs and Pathologists Can Prepare for Significant Reimbursement Reductions and Still Safeguard Their Financial Future” will address these challenges head-on.
The in-depth, 90-minute conference, to be presented on October 22 at 2 pm EST, includes a Q&A session. Click here for more information and to register.
Presenter Mick Raich, founder and president, Vachette Pathology, Blissfield, Mich, will discuss how bundled payments for OPPS are going to affect hospital-based pathology practices, who will get these payments, how you can negotiate for payment pass-through, and much more.
[Source: Pathology Blawg]
