Adjustments to national payment rates.

§ 416.172 Adjustments to national payment rates.

(a) General rule. Contractors adjust the payment rates established for ASC services to determine Medicare program payment and beneficiary coinsurance amounts in accordance with paragraphs (b) through (g) of this section.

(b) Lesser of actual charge or geographically adjusted payment rate. Payments to ASCs equal 80 percent of the lesser of—

(1) The actual charge for the service; or

(2) The geographically adjusted payment rate determined under this subpart.

(c) Geographic adjustment—(1) General rule. Except as provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this section, the national ASC payment rates established under § 416.171 for covered surgical procedures are adjusted for variations in ASC labor costs across geographic areas using wage index values, labor and nonlabor percentages, and localities specified by the Secretary.

(2) Exception. The geographic adjustment is not applied to the payment rates set for drugs, biologicals, devices with OPPS transitional pass-through payment status, and brachytherapy sources.

(d) Deductibles and coinsurance. Part B deductible and coinsurance amounts apply as specified in §§ 410.152(a) and (i)(2) and 489.30(b)(6) of this chapter.

This document is only available to subscribers. Please log in or purchase access.