A systematic evaluation of physician services is currently underway that will have a significant impact on reimbursement for all who perform endoscopic procedures. The evaluation is the result of the Medicare physician fee schedule for calendar year 2012 in which the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) asked the American Medical Association’s (AMA’s) Relative Value Update Committee (RUC) to review an extensive number of physician services.
The GI community is facing a comprehensive review of physician work and practice expense inputs on more than 100 endoscopy procedures. These inputs directly affect how codes and procedures are "valued" and ultimately reimbursed. The AGA and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) are asking physicians to complete surveys of these endoscopic procedures. If a minimum number of responses for each survey are not obtained, the RUC could make recommendations to CMS about our codes without GI input.
The RUC is an advisory committee to CMS and is responsible for making relative value recommendations that directly affect the agency’s fee schedule decisions. If our recommendations for endoscopy procedures are not supported by adequate survey data from our membership, CMS will make the final determination regarding reimbursement of our procedures. Do not forfeit this important opportunity to provide input into the valuation of GI services.
Participation in RUC Surveys Is Critical
GI participation in the surveys is critical to obtaining equitable reimbursement of endoscopic procedures. Gastroenterologists must complete these surveys for physician work in order to provide realistic recommendations to the AMA’s RUC.
We realize that physicians are faced with ever-increasing demands for their time, but this is an important opportunity for all practicing gastroenterologists to have an impact on the future of our profession. Whether you perform routine esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and colonoscopy or more complex procedures such as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and endoscopic ultrasound or stenting, your help is needed.
About RUC Surveys
The surveys are electronic and can be completed in a reasonable amount of time – no more than 1 or 2 hours. Only a physician can complete the surveys; they cannot be completed by office managers, nurses, fellows, nurse practitioners, or physician assistants.
When new codes are established or existing codes are revised, a survey of physicians providing that service is conducted by the relevant medical specialty society.
How Can You Help?
It is critical that you respond if you are selected to participate in any survey. We also urge you to add your name to the roster of individuals to be contacted to complete the RUC surveys of physician work for endoscopic procedures.
To volunteer, e-mail surveys@asge.org with your name and contact information. Based on the list of surveys in the timeline, please specify which procedure surveys apply to you. Additional information will be provided prior to the start of each survey. To learn more visit www.gastro.org/RUC or e-mail Leslie D. Narramore, CPC, MPA, at lnarramore@gastro.org.
