Due to last-minute legislation in late November, CMS did not release a specific conversion rate for the 2004 Physician Fee Schedule but simply said that it would be 1.5 percent higher than the 2003 rate of 36.7856.
The new 37.3374 rate became effective Jan. 1, 2004. For more information on the new fee schedule, visit the CMS Web site at www.cms.gov.