Feedback Requested—CMS Consultation Services
Payment Policy Survey
The Heart Rhythm Society is partnering with the American Medical Association (AMA) and 16 other medical specialty societies* to modify the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Consultation Services Payment Policy. On January 1, 2010, CMS eliminated the use of all consultation codes except those for telemedicine and instructed physicians to bill for these services using the "most appropriate" remaining Evaluation and Management (E/M) codes. (For more information, see the Heart Rhythm Society's list of frequently asked questions about this change.)
The AMA and the Heart Rhythm Society are working to modify this policy. To gather data for this effort, a short survey has been designed that should take only 10 or 15 minutes to complete. Your participation in this important survey will help us to understand and quantify how this policy is affecting electrophysiologists.
The survey will be available through close of business Friday, April 30. Please note that the survey requires participants to answer each question before moving on to the next. If there are questions that you are unable to complete, you may enter "0" for questions that ask for a numerical answer and "N/A" for questions that ask for other information. For questions that ask for numbers or percentages, please provide an estimate.
If you are a member of the Heart Rhythm Society and the American College of Cardiology, you only need to complete this survey once, although you may hear from both organizations. We urge you to complete the survey on behalf of the Heart Rhythm Society, using the link above. This will help us track the number of consultation services provided by electrophysiologists.
Thank you for helping us make a difference! Should you have any questions, please contact Lisa Miller-Jones, Director of Reimbursement and Regulatory Affairs at LMiller-Jones@HRSonline.org.
* In addition to the Heart Rhythm Society, participating organizations are (listed in alphbetical order): American Academy of Neurology; American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery; American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists; American College of Cardiology; American College of Gastroenterology, American College of Rheumatology, American Gastroenterological Association; American Medical Group Association; American Psychiatric Association; American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy; American Society of Clinical Oncology; American Society of Hematology; American Urological Association; The Endocrine Society; Infectious Disease Society of America; Joint Council on Allergy, Asthma and Immunology; Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions
