Webinar Discusses Recent Changes in Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule

FEBRUARY 2021

Webinar Discusses Recent Changes in Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule

CHEST and ATS offered a joint webinar that explained key policies finalized in the CMS 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. The final rule incorporates many important coding, billing, and documentation changes that will affect pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine providers.

In response to targeted communication from specialty societies, including CHEST, whose members’ reimbursement levels were proposed to be cut despite increased demands due to the COVID-19 pandemic, lawmakers ultimately gave providers an across-the-board 3.75% increase for 2021. The webinar covered topics such as payment increases for outpatient E/M services, how to use new E/M documentation guidelines, COVID public health emergency considerations, provision of virtual medical services, and more.

Additional information on coding changes will be presented at the CHEST Health Policy and Advocacy Conference on March 23 and 25.

IN THIS ISSUE