APA Urges CMS to Equalize Psychiatrists' Medicare & Medicaid Reimbursement
Thu May 17,
2012
(Washington, D.C.) - The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule that would equalize the reimbursement primary care physicians receive for treating Medicaid patients with the payment they currently receive for treating Medicare patients. This proposed rule stems from a provision of the Affordable Care Act which equalized Medicare and Medicaid pay for primary care physicians.
The American Psychiatric Association agrees that current Medicaid reimbursement rates need to be raised. As a consequence of low reimbursement rates, more and more physicians are refusing to take on additional Medicaid patients. In its comment letter, APA urged CMS to not limit equalization of Medicaid and Medicare pay to primary care physicians.
While not falling under the federal government's definition of primary care physician, numerous psychiatrists are functioning as primary care physicians for their patients through coordination of all or most of their patients' health care. APA urged CMS to consider equalizing Medicare and Medicaid payments for psychiatrists, especially those who function for their patients as primary care physicians.