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Final Medicare fee schedule includes small increase for ophthalmologists
The 2005 final Medicare Physician Fee Schedule includes an increase of 0.5% to ophthalmology, lower than the across-the-board 1.5% increase to physicians, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
The difference in the increase, which is to take effect Jan. 1, is due to additional weight being placed on medical liability expenses, according to the AAO.
Payment increases for ophthalmic procedures include a 19% increase for A-scan ultrasound to $131.50 and a 25% increase for B-scan with non-quantitative A scan to $124.68.
There will be a 5% incentive payment to physicians furnishing services in physician scarcity areas. There are also new codes for ciliary endoscopic ablation and ophthalmic B scan with quantitative A scan ultrasound, according to the AAO.
A chart showing the national average reimbursement for all ophthalmology codes is available on the AAO’s Web site at http://www.aao.org/aao/advocacy/upload/2005FeeSchedule11.12.04.pdf.