Federal omnibus spending bill rolls back some Medicare payment cuts scheduled for 2023, 2024 -

Buried within the $1.7-trillion spending package signed by the President on Dec. 29 was partial relief for a planned 4.5% cut in payments to physicians under the CMS’ 2023 Physician Fee Schedule. Congress agreed the fee cut this year will total 2% and 3.5% in 2024. RPA notes the Medicare conversion factor for this year is pegged at $33.8872. As nephrology was looking at a 1% increase in code-level value in 2023, the CMS’ decision should result in a 1% reduction in Medicare reimbursements. The AMA expressed disappointment the cut wasn’t eliminated entirely, pointing out it follows two decades of flat payment rates, while the Surgical Care Coalition said the bill disregards the needs of vulnerable seniors. Meanwhile, the National Association of ACOs wanted the government to extend a 5% bonus for value-based providers. The legislation only provides a 3.5% incentive for 2023, which the group believes will keep the momentum for alternative payment models going while a long-term solution is hammered out.