ASA Joins with Others to Oppose Changes to E/M and Multiple Procedure Payment Policy

On August 27, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) joined more than 80 other health professional organizations in a formal communication to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding proposed policy changes impacting Evaluation and Management (E/M) documentation and payment, included in the proposed rule for the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for CY 2019. 

In the formal communication, ASA and the other signatories noted their appreciation for CMS’s efforts to reduce administrative burdens for Evaluation and Management (E/M) services by offering alternatives to the current documentation requirements, but expressed opposition to the implementation of collapsed payment rates and a proposed multiple procedure payment reduction (MPPR). The organizations also encouraged CMS to support a joint CPT/RUC workgroup’s efforts to provide an alternative proposal to address payment, coding, and documentation issues for E/M services.

ASA will also submit its own comments to CMS addressing E/M and other issues in in the proposed rule covering both the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and the Quality Payment Program (QPP).