The American College of Radiology® (ACR®) developed a detailed summary of the calendar year (CY) 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) proposed rule released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) July 7. The summary outlines issues that impact radiology, including payment provisions related to the relative value unit and conversion factor updates and updates to the Quality Payment Program. The finalized changes for most of the provisions take effect Jan. 1.
CMS estimates an overall impact of the MPFS proposed changes to radiology to be a 3% decrease, a 4% decrease for interventional radiology, a 3% decrease for nuclear medicine, and a 1% decrease for radiation oncology and radiation therapy centers if the provisions within the proposed rule are finalized. However, the cuts could be much larger without congressional action. The one-year 3% conversion factor increase provided by the Protecting Medicare and American Farmers from Sequester Cuts Act will expire at the end of 2022, and there are statutory-mandated sequester and pay-as-you-go cuts that also require congressional action. All of these reductions combined could amount to double-digit decreases for imaging services.
The ACR and the ACR Commissions on Economics and Quality and Safety are reviewing the MPFS proposed rule and will submit comments to CMS by its Sept. 6 deadline. In addition, the College continues to lead a coalition of physician and non-physician providers to address the statutory payment reductions.
The radiology-specific detailed summary and preliminary review of the proposed rule are on the ACR website. Please send questions about payment provisions to EconAdmin@acr.org, or nrdrsupport@acr.org for questions about the Quality Payment Program.