FP Report -- November 1998 Work resumes on E/M guidelines that should help family physicians
The Health Care Financing Administra- tion and medical organizations are resuming work on a new framework for evaluation and management documentation guidelines.
"The new framework addresses many problems family physicians have had under the old E/M guidelines," said Rosemarie Sweeney, AAFP vice president for socioeconomic affairs and policy analysis. "We were concerned HCFA might simply revert to the old guidelines, but it's now making progress on the new framework."
Work on the new framework halted when the AMA stopped physicians' review of HCFA's revisions, objecting to any numeric counting of organ systems for reimbursement. The AMA and HCFA reached agreement Sept. 22 that some counting would be acceptable. It's expected the new framework will help family physicians code their services for better reimbursement, in less time than is now required, and with fewer hassles.
FP Report is published by the AAFP News Department. Copyright © 1998 by American Academy of Family Physicians.
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