Medicare 2004 Pay Increase For Clinical Social Workers

Mirean Coleman, MSW, LICSW , CT
Senior Policy Associate
mcoleman@naswdc.org 

February 2004

Clinical social workers and other health care professionals who are Medicare providers can expect to receive an average of more than 1.5 percent pay increase for the calendar year 2004, effective January 1. Clinical social workers in some rural areas may see an additional increase in payments as a result of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (DIMA), which requires the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to change how it adjusts payments to recognize area cost differences. This provision may increase Medicare payment in some areas to clinical social workers by 4.8 per cent.

Medicare initially announced reduced average payment rates of 4.5 percent in 2003. NASW engaged in joint advocacy efforts with other health care professional associations for a 2004 Medicare reimbursement increase for health care providers. Further information about the increase can be found at www.cms.gov