Medicare Program; Revisions to Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule for Calendar Year 2005

This final rule refines the resource-based practice expense relative value units (RVUs) and makes other changes to Medicare Part B payment policy. These policy changes concern: supplemental survey data for practice expense; updated geographic practice cost indices for physician work and practice expense; updated malpractice RVUs; revised requirements for supervision of therapy assistants; revised payment rules for low osmolar contrast media; changes to payment policies for physicians and practitioners managing dialysis patients; clarification of care plan oversight requirements; revised requirements for supervision of diagnostic psychological testing services; clarifications to the policies affecting therapy services; revised requirements for assignment of Medicare claims; addition to the list of telehealth services; and, several coding issues. We are making these changes to ensure that our payment systems are updated to reflect changes in medical practice and the relative value of services. This final rule also addresses the following provisions of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (Pub. L. 108-17) (MMA): coverage of an initial preventive physical examination; coverage of cardiovascular (CV) screening blood tests; coverage of diabetes screening tests; incentive payment improvements for physicians in shortage areas; payment for covered outpatient drugs and biologicals; payment for renal dialysis services; coverage of routine costs associated with certain clinical trials of category A devices as defined by the Food and Drug Administration; hospice consultation service; indexing the Part B deductible to inflation; extension of coverage of intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) for the treatment in the home of primary immune deficiency diseases; revisions to reassignment provisions; and, payment for diagnostic mammograms, physicians' services associated with drug administration services and coverage of religious nonmedical health ca