Medicare is considering changing pay rates to reward primary care doctors and decrease pay to specialists.

So, if you have clients in one of the two categories, and you probably do, you might want to give them a heads up because it could change their practice should the CMS implement proposed changes.

The Wall Street Journal reported Medicare may raise its payments to primary care physicians by six to eight percent. However,  cardiologists would see an 11 percent decrease. Radiologists may lose 20 percent.

Wall Street Journal

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is weighing substantial changes to cost report forms hospitals submit annually. It would be the first major alterations of the form in 13 years.

The proposed new form involves cost reporting periods beginning Feb. 1, 2010. The AHA is accepting public comment before Aug. 31.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services website