Beginning in January 2005 physician...

Beginning in January 2005 physicians practicing in primary care physician scarcity areas will be eligible for a 5 percent bonus pay payment from Medicare. Those working in largely designated primary care health professional shortage areas will no longer ne to add the QU or QB modifier to receive their 10 percent bonus payment. Eligible physicians delivering overlayed services in areas with the one and the other of these designations will receive a bonus of 15 percent In the physician scarcity areas, family physicians, general practitioners, internists, and obstetrician- gynecologists are eligible for the bonuses. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services has published a resource that lists the shortage areas and provides information onward eligibility qualifications. For an explanation of the changes and a spreadsheet of the designated areas listed from ZIP code, go to http://www.cms.hhs.gov/providers/bonuspayment/.

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COPYRIGHT 2004 American Academy of Family Physicians

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