From Part B News:
CMS has just announced minutes ago that the 2007 final physician fee schedule will be in the Dec. 1, 2006 Federal Register and it contains a 2007 conversion factor of $35.9848 — a 5% reduction from the current CF.
That cut is slightly less than the 5.1% conversion factor cut predicted in the proposed fee schedule last August.
However, a 5% cut is significant and will take effect Jan. 1, 2007, unless Congress acts in a lame-duck session to erase the cut.
Medicare expects to spend $61.5 billion on Part B Services in 2007, which is 6.8% more than the $57.6 billion that the agency anticipates spending this year.
The final fee schedule also provides a boost in pay for some E/M services.