1st Quarter 2007

Medicare Roadmap for 2007

By John McDermott

In 2007, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will be busy updating its Medicare payment systems. Below is a list of the dates that are relevant for Covance's clients.

March 2007

• Deadline for submission of APC pass-through applications for third quarter 2007 (March 1)
• First deadline for submission of CPT applications for CY 2009 (March 7)
• Second quarter 2007 ASP amounts and quarterly OPPS changes announced (second half of March)
• Deadline for registration for ICD-9-CM Coordination and Maintenance Committee meeting at CMS (mid-March)
• ICD-9-CM Coordination and Maintenance Committee meeting for FY 2008 codes at CMS (late March)

April 2007

• New ICD-9-CM procedure codes approved for new technologies take effect (April 1)
• Second quarter ASP amounts and quarterly OPPS changes take effect (April 1)
• Announcement of preliminary decisions on CY 2008 HCPCS codes (mid-April)
• HCPCS public meetings at CMS for CY 2008 codes begin (late April)

May 2007

• Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) proposed rule released (early May)
• HCPCS public meetings at CMS for CY 2008 codes end (late May)

June 2007

• Deadline for submission of APC pass-through applications for fourth quarter 2007 (June 1)
• First CPT Editorial Panel meeting for CY 2009 codes (June 7-10)
• Third quarter 2007 ASP amounts and quarterly OPPS changes announced (second half of June)

July 2007

• Cutover to first Part A/Part B Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) (July 1)
• Third quarter ASP amounts and quarterly OPPS changes take effect (July 1)
• Second deadline for submission of CPT applications for CY 2009 (July 11)

August 2007

• IPPS final rule released (early August)
• MPFS and OPPS/ASC proposed rules released (early August)
• APC Advisory Panel meeting (late August or early September)

September 2007

• Deadline for submission of APC pass-through applications for first quarter 2008 (September 4)
• Announcement of selection of seven Part A/Part B MACs for cutover in September 2008 (early September)
• Fourth quarter ASP amounts and quarterly OPPS changes announced (second half of September)
• ICD-9-CM Coordination and Maintenance Committee meeting for FY 2009 codes at CMS (late September)

October 2007

• Implementation of FY 2008 IPPS final rule (October 1)
• New ICD-9-CM procedure codes for FY 2008 take effect (October 1)
• Fourth quarter ASP amounts and quarterly OPPS changes take effect (October 1)
• Physician enrollment in CAP for 2008 begins (October 1)
• Comment periods on CY 2008 MPFS and OPPS/ASC proposed rules end (early October)
• IPPS new technology add-on payment application for FY 2009 due (mid-October)
• Second CPT Editorial Panel meeting for CY 2009 codes (October 11-14)
• Final decisions on CY 2008 HCPCS codes released (late October or early November)

November 2007

• Release of CY 2008 MPFS and OPPS/ASC final rules (early November)
• Third deadline for submission of CPT applications for CY 2009 (November 7)
• Physician enrollment in CAP for 2008 ends (November 15)
• Beneficiary enrollment in Part D for 2008 begins (November 15)

December 2007

• Deadline for submission of APC pass-through applications for second quarter 2008 (December 3)
• First quarter 2008 ASP amounts and quarterly OPPS changes announced (second half of December)
• Beneficiary enrollment in Part D for 2008 ends (December 31)

Covance would be happy to help your company stay on top of Medicare reform milestones as they occur throughout 2007 and beyond.