Medicare Program; Revisions to Payment Policies and Adjustments to the Relative Value Units Under the Physician Fee Schedule for Calendar Year 1996

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Care Financing Administration

42 CFR Part 415

[BPD-827-CN]

RIN 0938-AG96

Medicare Program; Revisions to Payment Policies and Adjustments

to the Relative Value Units Under the Physician Fee Schedule for

Calendar Year 1996

AGENCY: Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), HHS.

ACTION: Correction of final rule with comment period.

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SUMMARY: This document corrects technical errors that appeared in the

final rule with comment period published in the Federal Register on

December 8, 1995 (60 FR 63124) entitled ``Medicare Program; Revisions

to Payment Policies and Adjustments to the Relative Value Units Under

the Physician Fee Schedule for Calendar Year 1996.''

EFFECTIVE DATES: January 1, 1996, except part 415, which is effective

July 1, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shana Olshan, (410) 786-5714; William

Morse, (410) 786-4520.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

In the Federal Register Document [95-29754], dated December 8,

1995, on page 63172 there is a technical error in the preamble and, on

pages 63177 and 63187 there are technical errors in the regulations

text in Sec. 414.30 (``Conversion factor update'') and Sec. 415.178

(``Anesthesia services''), respectively. In Sec. 414.30, due to a

typographical error, we inadvertently identified a revision being made

to paragraph (b)(3) as adding a new paragraph (c). We correct both the

amendatory statement and the regulations text. In the final rule, we

also inadvertently retained language reflected in the July 26, 1995 (60

FR 38430) proposed rule concerning documentation of a preoperative and

postoperative visit by the teaching physician in connection with

anesthesia services. To be consistent with our policy of not requiring

the teaching surgeon to be present at the preoperative and

postoperative visit, we intended to revise the language related to the

teaching anesthesiologist.

Correction of Errors

Preamble

Beginning on page 63171, in column 3, the first sentence of the

last paragraph is corrected to read: ``The information collection

requirements in Sec. 415.178 (``Anesthesia services''), paragraph (b),

concern documentation of the teaching physician's presence or

participation in the administration of the anesthesia. To be consistent

with our policy concerning teaching surgeons, we will not require

documentation of presence at the preoperative and postoperative

visit.''

Regulations Text

1. On page 63177, in column 1, item 4 is corrected to read as

follows:

``4. In Sec. 414.30, the introductory text to the section and the

introductory text to paragraph (b) are republished and paragraphs

(b)(2) and (3) are revised to read as follows:

Sec. 414.30 Conversion factor update.

Unless Congress acts in accordance with section 1848(d)(3) of the

Act--

* * * * *

(b) Downward adjustment. The downward adjustment may not exceed the

following:

* * * * *

(2) For CY 1994, 2.5 percentage points.

(3) For CYs 1995 and thereafter, 5 percentage points.''

Sec. 415.178 [Corrected]

2. On page 63187, in column 1, paragraph (b) of Sec. 415.178

(``Anesthesia services'') is corrected to read as follows: ``(b)

Documentation. Documentation must indicate the physician's presence or

participation in the administration of the anesthesia.''

(Section 1848 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-4))

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program No. 93.774,

Medicare--Supplementary Medical Insurance Program)

Dated: August 8, 1996.

Neil J. Stillman,

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Information Resources Management

[FR Doc. 96-20764 Filed 8-14-96; 8:45 am]

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