Practice Management Alert

Plus, start getting prior authorization for Highmark patients for certain therapy services.In early July, the CMS announced a proposed rule that would update the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) reimbursement rates for 2013. CMS says the rule would result in nearly a 7 percent payment increase for family practitioners and other primary care providers an increase of 3 to 5 percent. "The 7 percent increase for family physicians comes from a proposal that continues the Administration's policies to promote high quality, patient-centered care," according to the CMS press release. "For CY 2013, CMS is proposing for the first time to explicitly pay for the care required to help a patient transition back to the community following a discharge from a hospital or nursing facility. The proposal calls for CMS to make a separate payment to a patient's community physician or practitioner to coordinate the patient's care in the 30 days [...]