Correction
Published on Sat Jan 01, 2005
Correction: The January 2006 Pediatric Coding Alert article "Update Neonatal Care Continuum With New High-Paying SIC Code" also used an incorrect 2006 conversion factor. The figures should have reflected a cut of almost $125 as opposed to $100 based on a tentative CF of 36.1770, not 36.1171. The pay loss comes from incorrectly using 99233 (2.09 relative value units x 36.177 = $75.61) instead of 99300 (5.64 RVUs x 36.1171 = $203.70).
Stay tuned: The CF for 2006 of 36.1770 may be short-lived. Because the U.S. Congress did not pass legislation to freeze the CF at 2005's rate of 37.8975 " or to alter the rate " the decreased rate became effective Jan. 1. When Congress reconvenes this winter, the Senate and House will have to sort out their budget bill disagreements, which include a possible 1 percent rate hike that would offset the CMS current rate cut of 4.4 percent for 2006.
