Medicare Seeks to Pay for Postdischarge Coordination

The proposed rule also would implement the physician value-based payment modifier for all medical groups with 25 or more eligible providers starting in 2015.

Groups that do not participate in the Physician Quality Reporting System would see a 1% cut in Medicare payments. Groups that do participate would be paid in part based on their performance.

Groups with higher quality and lower costs would be paid more, and those with lower quality and higher costs would be paid less, according to CMS. The payment adjustments made in 2015 will be based on 2013 performance in the PQRS.

CMS will publish the proposed rule in the Federal Register on July 30, and will accept public comments until Sept. 4. The agency plans to finalize the physician payment rule by Nov. 1.