Earlier this week, the Biden-Harris Administration nearly doubled Medicare payment for administration of the COVID-19 vaccine to $40 per administration. This follows significant advocacy by the American Medical Association (AMA) and the AMA/Specialty Society RVS Update Committee (RUC) with the Biden transition team, Congress, CMS to increase payment to ensure adequate reimbursement for the administration of these life-saving vaccines for Medicare patients, while ensuring there are no out-of-pocket costs for patients. The updated Medicare payment rate reflects the additional resources necessary to ensure the vaccine is administered safely and appropriately. The AMA and RUC brought to the Administration’s attention the increased expenses to safely administer the vaccines and provide in-person care during the public health emergency. These costs are described by the CPT Editorial Panel with the new CPT code 99072 and are now bundled into the new COVID immunization administration payments.
The Physicians' Foundation has released its 2020 Survey of America's Physicians: COVID-19 Impact Edition. The three-part survey focused on the pandemic's impact on physician practices and patients, its impact on physician well-being, and outlooks for the future.
