Good News for Medicare Patients and Their Providers
 
Congress Passes Legislation to Avoid Double-Digit Cuts and Reprocess 2010 Claims

This week, Congress passed important legislation resulting in two important developments for ASNC members:

  • SGR Cuts Delayed. The primary function of the Medicare and Medicaid Extenders Act of 2010 is to postpone the scheduled cuts to Medicare physician payments until December 31, 2011. Without this legislation, all physicians participating in Medicare would have received a 25 percent reduction in reimbursement starting January 1. The one-year delay offers the physician community more time to work with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and Congress on a permanent solution to the flawed sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula.
  •  
  • Funding for CMS to Reprocess Claims. Another important provision of the Medicare and Medicaid Extenders Act is an allocation of $200 million to CMS to reprocess claims from 2010. This funding will allow CMS to reprocess claims for myocardial perfusion imaging services, which were positively impacted by a technical correction to practice expense inputs for the procedures last March. ASNC will notify members as soon as CMS announces its methodology for contractors to use in reprocessing these claims.

ASNC extends its gratitude to its members who have contacted their legislators on both of these issues. Your outreach has resulted in great news for the entire nuclear cardiology community.