November 2, 2006 - The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has published the Final Rule (with comments) of the Physicians' Fee Schedule for 2007. This 1418-page document contains payment rates and rules for dialysis-related services that are reimbursed under Medicare.

Most references to dialysis can be found on these pages:

II.F.5. - Payment for Covered Outpatient Drugs and Biologicals (ASP Issues) - Payment for Drugs Furnished During CY 2006 and Subsequent Years in Connection With the Furnishing of Renal Dialysis Services if Separately Billed by Renal Dialysis Facilities - Pages 297-301

II.G - Revisions Related to Payment for Renal Dialysis Services Furnished by End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Facilities - Pages 302-337

1. Growth Update to the Drug Add-on Adjustment to the Composite Rate

2. Update to the Geographic Adjustments to the Composite Rates

XV.H - Regulatory Impact Analysis - Provisions Related to Payment for Renal Dialysis Services Furnished by End State Renal Disease (ESRD) Facilities - pages 737-741

August 22, 2006 - The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has published the Physicians' Fee Schedule for 2007 in the Federal Register (notice).

August 10, 2006 - The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released on its web site the proposed 765-page Physicians' Fee Schedule for 2007 which includes approximately 80 pages of information related to dialysis. Comments will be accepted until October 10, and a final rule will be published later in the fall. The new payment rates and policies included in the final rule will be effective January 1, 2007. See this related press release from CMS.

The bullet point of the press release pertaining to dialysis states:

(The proposal includes) "Updating the wage index and drug add-on adjustments applied to the composite payment rate for dialysis services provided by ESRD facilities. The total drug add-on adjustment to the composite rate for CY 2007, including the growth update adjustment of 0.6 percent, would be 15.2%."

The document (CMS-1321-P) is currently only available through the CMS web site in pdf format, but will be published on August 22.

In the 765-page document, most references to dialysis can be found on these pages:

• Pages 112-187 (Proposed Provisions Related to Payment for Renal Dialysis Services Furnished by End Stage Renal Disease(ESRD) Facilities)
  
• Pages 288-293 (Proposed Provisions Related to Payment for Renal Dialysis services Furnished by End State Renal Disease (ESRD) Facilities)
  
• Pages 111-112
  
• Page 48 (dialysis access flow monitor)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Gary Peterson,