Physicians grumbling over CMS cuts in hospital and ASC colonoscopy reimbursements
Although over 90 percent of colonoscopies are performed at hospitals or ambulatory surgery centers, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has dramatically cut physician reimbursements for procedures performed at hospitals and ASCs while significantly raising payouts for office-based colonoscopy. As of January 1, CMS completed its four year phase-in of site-of-service differentials (SOSD) in payments to physicians; payments are now 36 percent lower for hospital and ASC colonoscopies than they were before the SSOD was introduced. Correspondingly, according to the American Gastroenterological Society, the payments for office-based colonoscopy have increased