The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued their final payment rates for services provided at ASCs and hospital outpatient departments in calendar year 2008 on Thursday, Nov. 1.
The final rule, with comment period, confirms the rates proposed in August of this year, which the agency announced alongside the rollout of its sweeping revisions to the ASC payment system.
As proposed, ASCs will be paid 65 percent of the corresponding rates provided by the hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System. The new ASC payment rates for previously allowed procedures will be phased in over the course of the next four years, from 2008 to 2011, while procedures newly added to the ASC list will begin at the designated rates.
As of Jan. 1, Medicare will reimburse ASCs for 3,390 procedures, adding 819 to the current list.
The complete Medicare rate schedule for ASCs can be obtained by downloading Addendum BB on this CMS Web page.
Details on the OPPS rate schedule can be viewed on this related page.
CMS is also scheduled to publish the final rule in the November 27 edition of the Federal Register.
