Call to Action: Help Psychology Press Congress for Medicare Payment Changes
by Government Relations and Communications Staff
February 27, 2007 -- Congress should remove psychologists from the severe payment cuts that took effect on January 1 under the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) final “5-year review” regulation, or else make psychologists eligible for Medicare evaluation and management (E & M) services reimbursement.
That’s the key message that practitioners around the country are now giving their members of Congress. You can aid this advocacy effort by sending emails to your elected officials via the Legislative Action Center at APApractice.org. All it takes is a few quick clicks of your mouse.
Background
In its 5-year review final rule, CMS increased payments for Medicare physician evaluation and management (E&M) codes, increasing Medicare costs by $4.5 billion. To be budget neutral, CMS cut work relative value units (RVUs) for all Medicare services.
Medicare mental health and testing services are the hardest hit by CMS’ new rule, which took effect on January 1, 2007. Psychologists and social workers, who provide almost all of the psychotherapy and testing services for Medicare patients, face a 9% cut in reimbursement related to cuts in work RVUs and practice expense adjustments.
Due to this cut, many Medicare beneficiaries will lose access to mental health and testing services, as psychologists and social workers reduce their caseloads or leave Medicare altogether. E&M services are important and undervalued. E&M payments should be increased but not at the sacrifice of Medicare mental health services. Psychologists and social workers are not eligible for E&M reimbursement and should not shoulder the burden for the increase in payments for E&M services.
The APA Practice Organization is working actively with grassroots psychologists and other professional groups to make Congress aware of the adverse impact of these cuts on Medicare beneficiary access to services.
Practitioner Advocacy Is Crucial
Every practitioner has a role to play in helping the profession advocate for changes in Medicare payment.
Look for the Legislative Action Center box, found in the upper right hand portion of every page at APApractice.org. Enter your zip code and click “Go.” Next, click on the item labeled, “Stop Medicare Cuts in Psychologist Reimbursement” and enter your zip code beside the words, “Take Action Now!” Then follow the quick, easy steps to email messages to your Members of Congress.
5-year_review.pdf
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