Medicare schedule update - Important steps and dates involved in every year

 Key Implementation Dates  

A detailed schedule of key implementation dates will be provided in an annual temporary instruction in advance of receiving the MPFS Database file. The following outlines significant disclosure activities and anticipated implementation dates. A detailed schedule is provided under separate cover by CMS.
Carriers must:

October: 
• Download fee schedules
 • Download HCPCS

November:  
• Release participation materials and disclosure reports;
 • Furnish yearly physician fee schedule amounts to CMS for carrier priced codes;

December:  
• Furnish DMEPOS fee schedule and physician fee schedules to State Medicaid Agencies;
 • Furnish conversion factors and inflation indexed charge data to the carrier State Medicaid Agencies;
 • Process participation elections and withdrawals; and,
• Send a complete fee schedule to the State medical societies and State beneficiary associations.

January:  
• Implement annual fee schedule amounts;
• Implement annual HCPCS update;
• Send an updated provider file to the Railroad Retirement Board; and
• Load MEDPARD equivalent information on the carrier Web site.


February:
• Submit participation counts to CMS Central Office via CROWD.