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In a victory for audiologists and speech-language pathologists, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced its decision to defer the proposed elimination of the non-physician work pool (NPWP) for at least a year. The decision was reported in the final rule for the 2006 Medicare physician fee schedule that was released on Nov. 3.
ASHA vigorously advocated against CMS's proposed elimination of the NPWP. The agency earlier proposed eliminating the work pool beginning in 2006-which would have resulted in a 21% reduction for audiology services over a four-year period. The continued use of the work pool will maintain or closely approximate current total relative value units.
ASHA will continue to work with both CMS and Congress to promote a more reasonable alternative to eliminating this crucial reimbursement category. ASHA, through the Health Care Economics Committee, has taken its case to CMS and the American Medical Association Relative Value Update Committee.
ASHA has prepared a detailed analysis of the Medicare fee schedule as it affects speech-language pathology and audiology services. The complete text of CMS' final rule for the 2006 Medicare fee schedule can be found online. Watch for an in-depth analysis of other aspects of the 2006 Medicare fee schedule in the Dec. 27 issue of The ASHA Leader. For more information contact Mark Kander via e-mail at mkander@asha.org or by phone at 800-498-2071, ext. 4139.
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