American Academy of Family Physicians CEO Doug Henley, MD, has alerted AAFP constituent chapters to an important opportunity for the family medicine specialty and family physicians to have a meaningful impact on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) accurate relative values for Medicare payment as it relates to physician work and direct practice expense.
In the next couple of weeks, all AAFP/Ohio Academy of Family Physicians members will have the opportunity to participate in an important survey by the Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC) focused on revaluing the most common CPT codes used by family physicians. A high participation rate by AAFP/OAFP members is vitally important.
The last time the office visit codes – the most common codes used in primary care – were revalued was in 2006-07. A lot has changed in medicine since then. The AAFP has asked that CMS revalue these codes and AAFP learned recently that this effort has begun and likely will be completed within the next several weeks.
Recently, the CPT Editorial Panel approved new ‘descriptor’ language for these CPT codes. This automatically triggers a survey process by the RUC. Specialty societies will be asked if they want to participate in such a survey of these CPT codes, and the AAFP certainly will respond affirmatively.
When the survey becomes active, the AAFP will notify all active members by email announcing its availability and its importance! The AAFP will send this email (anticipated during the week of February 25th) which will include links to helpful information and videos about how members can engage and complete this vitally important survey.
Watch your email for information and updates. Office visit codes are long overdue for an update and this is your opportunity to have a meaningful impact on relative values for Medicare payment as it relates to physician work and direct practice expense.