CMS finalizes 2016 payment rules for physicians, hospitals

Editor's Note

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued its final rules detailing how it will pay for services provided by physicians and other healthcare professionals in 2016.

Key policies finalized in the rules include:

• Updates to the “Two-Midnight” rule, which clarifies when inpatient admissions are appropriate for payment under Medicare Part A. CMS did not reverse the 0.2% payment cut associated with the two-midnight policy.
• Implementation of the new merit-based incentive payment system for physicians and other practitioners. This is the first final physician fee schedule since the repeal of the sustainable growth rate formula, and it includes a payment increase of 0.5% as required by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015.

Date 2015-10-30 Title CMS Finalizes 2016 Medicare Payment Rules for Physicians, Hospitals & Other Providers Contact go.cms.gov/media CMS Finalizes 2016 Medicare Payment Rules for Physicians, Hospitals & Other Providers The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued final rules this week detailing how the agency will pay for services provided to beneficiaries in Medicare by physicians and other health care professionals in 2016 that reflects the administration's commitment to quality, value, and patient-centered care.