CMS Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule Establishes Payment for Advance Care Planning Services

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a proposed rule updating its physician fee schedule for calendar year 2016. Emphasizing CMS's commitment to transform the Medicare program to a system based on quality and healthy outcomes, the rule contains proposals for modifications to the Physician Quality Reporting System, the Physician Value-Based Payment Modifier, and the Medicare Electronic Health Record Incentive Program, as well as changes to the Physician Compare website. Among other updates to payment policies and proposals to implement statutory adjustments to physician payments based on misvalued codes, CMS proposes to establish a separate payment and payment rate for two advance care planning services provided to Medicare beneficiaries by physicians and other practitioners.