CMS Releases Proposed Rule for 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released its annual Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) proposed rule. The agency is proposing changes to address the widening gap in health equity that was particularly highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic and to expand patient access to comprehensive care in underserved populations. 

These changes will focus on the Biden administration's commitment to strengthening and building upon Medicare by promoting health equity, expanding access to telehealth and other technologies for behavioral health care, and further improving CMS' programs to ensure quality care for Medicare beneficiaries as well as creating equal opportunities for physicians who practice in small and large clinical settings. 

The American Medical Association (AMA) staff is analyzing the full 1,700-plus-page document, but wanted to communicate a key issue now: The 2022 Medicare conversion factor would be reduced by approximately 3.89%, from $34.8931 to $33.58548. This change is linked to the expiration of a 3.75% increase to the conversion factor at the end of calendar year 2021, as averted for 2021 by Congressional action. The AMA said it will strongly advocate that Congress avert this significant cut and extend the 3.75% increase for 2022. (The impact table in the proposed rule does not seem to include the 3.75% reduction in the conversion factor.)

The following links contain additional information regarding the proposal:

• Physician Fee Schedule Fact Sheet: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/calendar-year-cy-2022-medicare-physician-fee-schedule-proposed-rule
  
  
• QPP Fact Sheets: https://qpp-cm-prod-content.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/1514/2022%20QPP%20Proposed%20Rule%20Resources.zip