2009 OPPS rule is good news for EDs.
For once, the final Outpatient Prospective Payment System payment rule issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services generally has been praised by emergency medicine observers. There are, however, some new wrinkles you should be aware of, because they could save - or cost - you money: A separate coding category has been established for EDs that are not open 24/7. The payment rates are lower than those in full-time EDs, except for Level 5 visits. Imaging procedures have been grouped into five milies," and multiple tests on the same patient within the same family will be reimbursed as if only a single test was performed. Visits coded for "trauma response with critical care" will be reimbursed at a rate nearly three times as high as last year's rate.
D014487:Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S.; D039702:Current Procedural Terminology; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000191:economics*; D004638:Emergency Treatment / Q000145:classification / Q000191:economics*; D005568:Forms and Records Control; D006801:Humans; D008484:Medicaid / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D016344:Medicare Part A / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D010045:Outpatients / Q000145:classification; D011445:Prospective Payment System / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States