The report notes that anesthesiologists should not be alarmed by the reduction in the conversion factor as Congress is likely to override it.
The report also details changes made to the Physician Quality Reporting System. For 2014, there is both a positive “incentive” and a negative payment “adjustment.” Eligible professionals must participate in PQRS in order to avoid a penalty that would be applied to adjust payments in 2016. Changes have also been made to Value-Based Payment Modifier requirements. For 2016, CMS will apply the modifier to groups of physicians with 10 or more eligible professionals based on performance in 2014.
Anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists will face a higher amount of payment risk in the coming years because anesthesiology groups of 10 or more who do not participate in PQRS reporting in 2014 could see a modifier reduction on top of the 2 percent penalty for failure to successfully report PQRS measures, according to the report.
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