"Medicare Fee Schedule Sparks Outrage and Calls for Reform with Proposed Pay Cuts"

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the initial 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, proposing a pay cut for diagnostic and interventional radiology. The proposed fee schedule also suggests potentially rescinding the long-delayed Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) Program. The preliminary changes include reductions in relative value units for various specialties, with diagnostic radiology facing a 3% cut and interventional specialists facing a 4% cut. The proposed 2024 conversion factor, used to convert RVUs into payment, represents a 3.36% reduction from the 2023 amount. The Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) expressed concerns about the cut, stating that it would further increase the gap between practice expenses and reimbursement rates. CMS is also considering doing away with the AUC Program due to challenges in implementation and potential risks. The agency is accepting comments on the proposed rule until September 11.