Medicare program; update of ratesetting methodology, payment rates, payment policies, and the list of covered procedures for ambulatory surgical centers effective October 1, 1998; extension of comment period--HCFA. Notice of extension of comment period for proposed rule

This notice extends the comment period for the third time on a proposed rule published in the Federal Register on June 12, 1998, (63 FR 32290). In that rule we proposed to make various changes, including changes to the ambulatory surgical center (ASC) payment methodology and the list of Medicare covered procedures. The comment period is extended for 60 days.     

Medicare program; update of ratesetting methodology, payment rates, payment policies, and the list of covered procedures for ambulatory surgical centers effective October 1, 1998; extension of comment period--HCFA. Notice of extension of comment period for proposed rule

This notice extends the comment period for a proposed rule published in the Federal Register on June 12, 1998 (63 FR 32290). In that rule we proposed to: Update the criteria for determining which surgical procedures can be appropriately and safely performed in an ambulatory surgical center (ASC): Make additions to and deletions from the current list of Medicare covered ASC procedures based on the revised criteria; Rebase the ASC payment rates using cost, charge, and utilization data collected by a 1994 survey of ASCs; Refine the ratesetting methodology that was implemented by a final notice published on February 8, 1990 in the Federal Register; Require that ASC payment, coverage, and wage index updates be implemented annually on January 1 rather than having these updates occur randomly throughout the year; Reduce requlatory burden; and Make several technical policy changes. This proposed rule implements requirements of section 1833(i) (1) and (2) of the Social Security Act. The comment period is extended for 30 days.     

Medicare program; update of ambulatory surgical center list of covered procedures effective July 1, 2003. Final rule with comment period

This final rule with comment period will make additions to and deletions from the current list of Medicare approved ambulatory surgical center (ASCs) procedures. In addition, it responds to comments received on the June 12, 1998 proposed rule (63 FR 32290) that addressed proposed additions to and deletions from the list of ASC covered procedures. This rule also implements requirements of section 1833(i)(1) and (2) of the Social Security Act.     

Medicare program; update of ambulatory surgical center payment rates effective July 1, 1990--HCFA. Notice with comment period

This notice implements section 1833(i)(2(A) of the Social Security Act, which requires that the payment rates for ambulatory surgical center services be reviewed and updated annually, and responds to public comments we received concerning the ambulatory surgical center payment rate update notice published on February 8, 1990 (55 FR 4577).     

Medicare program; update of ambulatory surgical center list of covered procedures. Interim final rule with comment period

This interim final rule with comment period revises the list of procedures that are covered when furnished in an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) in accordance with section 1833(i)(1) of the Social Security Act. We published our proposed deletions and additions in the Federal Register on November 26, 2004. In this interim final rule, we respond to public comments and make final additions to and deletions from the current list of Medicare approved ambulatory surgical center (ASC) procedures.     

Medicare program; list of covered surgical procedures for ambulatory surgical centers--HCFA. Proposed notice and request for comment

HCFA is seeking suggestions for possible additions or revisions to the current list of ambulatory surgical center (ASC) procedures covered under Medicare. Our current list of covered ASC procedures was published in the Federal Register on August 5, 1982 (47 FR 34099). In this notice we are also soliciting comments on additional ASC procedures that have been suggested by the public since publication of our current list.     

Medicare program; update of ambulatory surgical center (ASC) payment rates effective for services on or after October 1, 1995-HCFA. Notice

This notice implements section 1833(i)(2)(C) of the Social Security Act, which mandates an automatic inflation adjustment to Medicare payment amounts for ambulatory surgical center (ASC) facility services during the years when the payment amounts are not updated based on a survey of the actual audited costs incurred by ASCs.     

Medicare program; revisions to payment policies under the physician fee schedule for calendar year 1999--HCFA. Proposed rule

This proposed rule would make several policy changes affecting Medicare Part B payment. The changes that relate to physician services include: resource-based practice expense relative value units, medical direction rules for anesthesia services, and payment for abnormal Pap smears. Also, we would rebase the Medicare Economic Index from a 1989 base year to a 1996 base year. Under the law, we are required to develop a resource-based system for determining practice expense relative value units. The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA 1997) delayed, for 1 year, implementation of the resource-based practice expense relative value units until January 1, 1999. Also, BBA 1997 revised our payment policy for nonphysician practitioners, for outpatient rehabilitation services, and for drugs and biologicals not paid on a cost or prospective payment basis. In addition, BBA 1997 permits certain physicians and practitioners to opt out of Medicare and furnish covered services to Medicare beneficiaries through private contracts. In addition, since we established the physician fee schedule on January 1, 1992, our experience indicates that some of our Part B payment policies need to be reconsidered. This proposed rule is intended to correct inequities in physician payment and solicits public comments on specific proposed policy changes.     

Medicare program; update of ambulatory surgical center payment rates and additions to and deletions from the current list of covered surgical procedures--HCFA. Notice with comment period

This notice implements section 1833(i)(2)(A) of the Social Security Act, which requires that the payment rates for ambulatory surgical center (ASC) services be reviewed and updated annually, and responds to the public comment we received concerning the ambulatory surgical center payment rate update notice with comment period published on July 5, 1990 (55 FR 27690). It also implements section 1833(i)(1) of the Social Security Act, which requires, in part, that the list of covered ambulatory surgical center procedures be reviewed and updated at least every 2 years. This notice announces additions to and deletions from the list of surgical procedures for which facility services are covered when the procedures are performed in an ASC. This notice also announces the assignment of payment groups for each procedure and responds to public comments received in response to the notice proposing additions to and deletions from the list of covered surgical procedures that was published on December 7, 1990.     

Medicare program; revisions to payment policies under the physician fee for schedule, other Part B payment policies, and establishment of the clinical psychologist fee schedule for calendar year 1998--HCFA. Proposed rule

This proposed rule discusses several policy changes affecting Medicare Part B payment. The changes related to physician services, including resource-based practice expense relative value units and geographic practice cost index changes, clinical psychologist services, supervision of diagnostic tests, the methodology used to develop reasonable compensation equivalent limits, payment to participating and nonparticipating suppliers, global surgical services, caloric vestibular testing, clinical consultations, and payments based on actual charges. Under the law, we are required to develop a resource-based system for determining practice expense relative value units effective January 1, 1998. In addition, since we established the physician fee schedule on January 1, 1992, our experience indicates that some of our Part B payment policies need to be reconsidered. This proposed rule is intended to correct inequities in physician payment and solicits public comments on specific proposed policy changes.     

Medicare program; revision of ambulatory surgical center payment rate methodology--HCFA. Final notice of payment rates

This final notice sets forth the revised payment rates for ambulatory surgical center services. We are refining the methodology used to determine the payment rates and have based the rates on the most recent survey data collected from participating ambulatory surgical centers. In addition, we have computed the payment rates using the HCFA hospital wage index. We are also incorporating the payment for intraocular lens inserted during cataract surgery into the facility rate as required by section 4063(b) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987. Finally, we are changing the payment policy for surgical procedures that are terminated due to medical complications that increase the surgical risk to the patient. As a result of the refinements to our ratesetting methodology, this final notice establishes eight payment groups rather than the six proposed groups. Of these eight groups, two groups (Group 6 and Group 8) contain only cataract procedures.     

Medicare program; update of ambulatory surgical center payment rates--HCFA. Notice with comment period

This notice implements section 1833(i)(2)(A) of the Social Security Act, which requires that the payment rates for ambulatory surgical center (ASC) services be reviewed and updated annually, and responds to the public comments we received concerning the ASC payment rate update notice with comment published on December 31, 1991 (56 FR 67666), except for those concerning payment amounts for lithotripsy, which will be addressed in another Federal Register document. DATES: Effective date: The payment rates contained in this notice are effective for services furnished on or after October 1, 1992. Comments date: Comments will be considered if we receive them at the appropriate address, as provided below, by 5 p.m. on November 30, 1992.     

Medicare program; prospective payment system for hospital outpatient services--HCFA. Proposed rule

As required by sections 4521, 4522, and 4523 of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, this proposed rule would eliminate the formula-driven overpayment for certain outpatient hospital services, extend reductions in payment for costs of hospital outpatient services, and establish in regulations a prospective payment system for hospital outpatient services (and for Medicare Part B services furnished to inpatients who have no Part A coverage). The prospective payment system would simplify our current payment system and apply to all hospitals, including those that are excluded from the inpatient prospective payment system. The Balanced Budget Act provides for implementation of the prospective payment system effective January 1, 1999, but delays application of the system to cancer hospitals until January 1, 2000. The hospital outpatient prospective payment system would also apply to partial hospitalization services furnished by community mental health centers. Although the statutory effective date for the outpatient prospective payment system is January 1, 1999, implementation of the new system will have to be delayed because of year 2000 systems concerns. The demands on intermediary bill processing systems and HCFA internal systems to become compliant for the year 2000 preclude making the major systems changes that are required to implement the prospective payment system. The outpatient prospective payment system will be implemented for all hospitals and community mental health centers as soon as possible after January 1, 2000, and a notice of the anticipated implementation date will be published in the Federal Register at least 90 days in advance. This document also proposes new requirements for provider departments and provider-based entities. These proposed changes, as revised based on our consideration of public comments, will be effective 30 days after publication of a final rule. This proposed rule would also implement section 9343(c) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986, which prohibits Medicare payment for nonphysician services furnished to a hospital outpatient by a provider or supplier other than a hospital, unless the services are furnished under an arrangement with the hospital. This section also authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Inspector General to impose a civil money penalty, not to exceed $10,000, against any individual or entity who knowingly and willfully presents a bill for nonphysician or other bundled services not provided directly or under such an arrangement. This proposed rule also addresses the requirements for designating certain entities as provider-based or as a department of a hospital.     

Medicare program; additions to and deletions from the current list of covered surgical procedures for ambulatory surgical centers--HCFA. Final notice with comment period

This final notice with comment period implements section 1833(i)(1) of the Social Security Act, which requires, in part, that the list of covered ambulatory surgical center (ASC) procedures be reviewed and updated at least every 2 years. This notice announces the specific additions to and deletions from the list of surgical procedures for which facility services are covered when the procedures are performed in a Medicare-participating ASC, as well as the assigned payment groups for each addition. The notice also announces a change in our criteria for deleting procedures from the ASC list. This notice also responds to public comments received in response to our proposed notice published December 14, 1993 (58 FR 65357). In that notice, we requested comments on the proposed additions to and deletions from the list of covered surgical procedures for ASCs; the proposed quantitative change in our deletion criteria; the development of alternatives to the proposed quantitative deletion criteria; and the assignment of payment groups for each addition. Finally, this notice solicits public comment on certain additions to and deletions from the ASC list that had not been suggested in our December 1993 proposed notice. It also solicits public comment on the assignment of payment groups for certain new procedure codes.     

Medicare program; changes to the ambulatory surgical centers patient rights conditions for coverage. Final rule

This final rule revises the ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) conditions for coverage (CfC) to allow patient rights information to be provided to the patient, the patient's representative, or the patient's surrogate prior to the start of the surgical procedure. In addition, we made minor changes to the CfC for patient rights requirements, as specified in the proposed rule. This final rule reflects the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS') commitment to the general principles of the President's Executive Order 13563 released January 18, 2011, entitled "Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review.'     

Medicare program; establishment of Medicare Economic Index effective April 1, 1990--HCFA. Notice

This notice updates the Medicare Economic Index (MEI), which is used to calculate the prevailing charge levels that help to determine reasonable charges for certain physician services under the Medicare Supplementary Medical Insurance (Part B) program. For physician services furnished on or after April 1, 1990, and before January 1, 1991 the increase for primary care services will be 4.2 percent, and for other services it will be 2.0 percent.     

Medicare program; payment for teleconsultations in rural health professional shortage areas--HCFA. Proposed rule

This proposed rule would implement parts of section 4206 of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 by amending our regulations to provide for payment for professional consultation by a physician and certain other practitioners via interactive telecommunication systems. Payment may be made if the physician or other practitioner is furnishing a service for which payment may be made under Medicare to a beneficiary residing in a rural area that is designated as a health professional shortage area. This proposed rule would also establish a methodology for determining the amount of payments made for the consultation.     

Medicare program; changes to the hospital inpatient prospective payment systems and fiscal year 1998 rates--HCFA. Proposed rule

We are proposing to revise the Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment systems for operating costs to implement necessary changes arising from our continuing experience with the systems. In addition, in the addendum to this proposed rule, we are describing proposed changes in the amounts and factors necessary to determine prospective payment rates for Medicare hospital inpatient services for operating costs and capital-related costs. These changes would be applicable to discharges occurring on or after October 1, 1997. We are also setting forth proposed rate-of-increase limits as well as proposing changes for hospitals and hospital units excluded from the prospective payment systems.     

Medicare program; payment for customized wheelchairs--HCFA. Final rule

This final rule responds to comments we received on an interim final rule relating to payment for customized wheelchairs that was published on December 20, 1991 (56 FR 65995). The interim rule set forth the Secretary's criteria that a wheelchair must meet to be considered a customized item and allowed for a payment for the purchase of customized items based on the carrier's case-by-case determination. This rule establishes the interim rule as a final regulation with one change. The change is based on our review and consideration of the public comments. EFFECTIVE DATE: This final rule is effective on July 30, 1993.