June 18, 2010

AMA Letter to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Regarding Elimination of Consultation Codes

On June 18, 2010, the American Medical Association (AMA) and 33 other medical societies sent a letter to the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services requesting that Medicare reimburse specialists for consultations and for performing activities that promote care coordination. Under the previous coding method, the documentation requirement constituted a type of care coordination and communication with the primary care physician who referred the patient. Under the new method, the specialist has not been obligated to communicate with the referring physician.