Reimbursement varied by procedure types, with increases for skin biopsy and shave removal, decreases for Mohs micrographic surgery<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
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WEDNESDAY, Sept. 15, 2021 (HealthDay News) — From 2007 to 2021, there was a mean decrease of \u00e2\u0088\u00924.8 percent in dermatologic procedure reimbursement overall, according to a study published online Sept. 15 in JAMA Dermatology<\/em>.<\/p>\n Rishabh S. Mazmudar, from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, and colleagues conducted a cross-sectional study using reimbursement data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Physician Fee Schedule for commonly used dermatologic codes from 2007 to 2021 to identify trends in reimbursement for 46 common procedures.<\/p>\n The researchers found that after adjusting for inflation, there was a mean decrease of \u00e2\u0088\u00924.8 percent in dermatologic procedure reimbursement from 2007 to 2021. During this time period, there was significant variation observed in mean inflation-adjusted changes in reimbursement by procedure type, including increases of +30.3 and +24.5 percent for skin biopsy and shave removal, respectively, and decreases of \u00e2\u0088\u00927.5, \u00e2\u0088\u009214.4, \u00e2\u0088\u00923.9, \u00e2\u0088\u00929.9, \u00e2\u0088\u009214.1, \u00e2\u0088\u009212.0, and \u00e2\u0088\u00926.6 percent for benign\/premalignant\/malignant destruction, Mohs micrographic surgery, benign\/malignant excision, simple\/intermediate\/complex repair, flap repair, graft repair, and laser\/phototherapy, respectively. There was no variation seen in changes in reimbursement by anatomical risk categories.<\/p>\n “This cross-sectional study of 2007 to 2021 Medicare fee schedules demonstrated a mean decrease in reimbursement for common dermatologic procedures, with variation by procedure category,” the authors write. “Sustainable reimbursement policies are necessary to ensure equitable access to quality dermatologic care.”<\/p>\n Abstract\/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)<\/a><\/p>\n <\/i><\/p>\n