New CPT Code for Costs Related to COVID-19 and Advocacy to Urge Payers to Provide Coverage On November 7, the AMA Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Editorial Panel announced the approval of CPT code 99072 to be used to report the additional supplies, materials, and clinical staff time over and above the practice expense(s) included in...

Study Published on Medicare Utilization and Spending During COVID-19 Crisis On October 8, 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services published a study on Medicare utilization and spending in 2020 to analyze utilization and spending trends during the COVID-19 Emergency. The study, which was conducted by the Assistant Secretary for Policy and Evaluation Office...

CMS Announces New Repayment Terms for Medicare Loans Made to Providers During COVID-19 On October 1, 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it will be disbursing another $20 billion in CARES Act Provider Relief Funds. Under this Phase 3 General Distribution allocation, physicians who have already received Provider Relief Fund payments may apply...

AMA/Multi-Specialty Relative Value Update Committee (RUC) Reimbursement Surveys for Spine Surgical Procedures The RUC acts as an advisory body to CMS in setting Relative Value Units (RVUs) in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. As part of their valuation process, the RUC works with specialty societies like ISASS to survey specialty society members on their relative...