Medicare Announces 2024 Proposed Rule for Physician Fee Schedule

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule on July 13, 2023 to seek public comments on proposed policy changes for Medicare payments under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and other Medicare Part B issues beginning January 1, 2024.

The 2024 proposed PFS reflects a broader CMS strategy to create a more equitable health care system that results in better access to care, quality, affordability, and innovation. Some of the relevant topics related to social workers include:

• Telehealth Services: Proposes a new process for adding, removing, or otherwise changing codes in the Medicare Telehealth Service list, and creates differential payment based on the place of service.
• Behavioral and Social Needs: Outlines policies to promote behavioral healthcare and services addressing health-related social needs.
• Merit-base Incentive Payment System (MIPS): Raises the MIPS performance threshold to 82 points in 2024, from 75 points in both 2022 and 2023.

NASW plans to submit comments to CMS and encourages its members to also submit comments which are due electronically on September 11, 2023, at www.regulations.gov. The proposed regulation is available here.