What percentage of the Medicare physician fee schedule is typically reimbursed for incident-to services supervised by NPPs?

Incident-to services refer to healthcare services provided by non-physician practitioners (NPPs) under the supervision of a physician, allowing for the services to be billed as if provided by the physician. In the context of the Medicare physician fee schedule, when NPPs provide these services, typically 85% of the physician fee schedule rate is reimbursed.

This percentage reflects Medicare's policy to promote the use of NPPs in practice while ensuring that they work under the supervision of a physician. By allowing a reimbursement rate that is lower than that of physicians for these services, Medicare encourages collaboration within healthcare teams while still valuing the contributions of NPPs.

Understanding this reimbursement rate is crucial for practice managers in order to accurately forecast revenue and manage billing efficiently within the practice. It also highlights the importance of proper supervision and documentation to ensure compliance with Medicare billing guidelines when services are provided by NPPs.