Hang on to 'grandfather' exception, too. You won't face a 27 percent Medicare pay cut starting Jan. 1 after all -- at least not for two months. That's because the rate reduction was once again kicked to the curb by Congress, resulting in a Medicare Physician Fee Schedule conversion factor of $34.0376 through Feb. 29. On Dec. 23, the House followed the Senate's lead in voting to halt the Medicare pay cut for two months, which will freeze Medicare pay at 2011 rates through the end of February. Problems aren't over: RVU cuts took effect: Continue Billing TC to Medicare The legislation also extends the pathology technical component (TC) "grandfather" exception for two months. Under the grandfather exception, you can continue to bill Medicare directly for the TC of pathology services provided for hospital inpatients and outpatients -- but only if your independent lab is operating under arrangements with a covered hospital that were in place as of July 22, 1999. Congress has extended the grandfather exception each year since that time.