Medicare final rule announces 2008 physician fee schedule

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today issued a final physician payment rule designed to improve accuracy of Medicare payments and give physicians and health care professionals additional financial incentives to provide higher quality and value in the delivery of care.

Under the new rule, Medicare estimates that it will pay approximately $58.9 billion to about 900,000 physicians and other health care professionals. The revised payments, quality incentive rates and related policy changes, which will become effective January 1, 2008, are included in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) final rule. The rule went on display today at the Federal Register.

The final rule, effective for services on or after January 1, 2008, will go on display today and will be published in the Federal Register on November 27, 2007.   The rule can be found at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/center/physician.asp.

For more information, please see fact sheets on Preventive Services, Physician Participation, and Imaging Services at www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/?media=facts.

For more information on the CMS Press Release issued today http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press_releases.asp