Medicare Program; Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Revisions to Part B for CY 2010

This final rule with comment period implements changes to the physician fee schedule and other Medicare Part B payment policies to ensure that our payment systems are updated to reflect changes in medical practice and the relative value of services. It also implements or discusses certain provisions of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008. (See the Table of Contents for a listing of the specific issues addressed in this rule.) This final rule with comment period also finalizes the calendar year (CY) 2009 interim relative value units (RVUs) and issues interim RVUs for new and revised codes for CY 2010. In addition, in accordance with the statute, it announces that the update to the physician fee schedule conversion factor is -21.2 percent for CY 2010, the preliminary estimate for the sustainable growth rate for CY 2010 is - 8.8 percent, and the conversion factor (CF) for CY 2010 is $28.4061.