Can a family physician charge medicare for a procedure at the same rate that a cardiologist would?

[Gavanshir]

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I'm wondering if a FP who has an EKG machine or a echocardiogram in his office for example can charge medicare/medicaid the same amount that a cardiologist would charge for the same procedure, or if he is reimbursed less since he is not a cardiologist?

Are there guidelines as to the type of procedures one can perform as a FP? Thank you.

 

[cabinbuilder]

Since when do FP"s perform echos?? Not that I have ever seen. ( I probably will get flamed - go ahead)

And EKG is an EKG. I'm pretty sure there are standard charges. It would depend if you work for a larger entity (they make the billing scale, no you). I'm sure there is a "standard of care" that covers what items are billed for.

 

[midweststudent1]

Actually, and it's really bizarre, but my family doc in a small of 4k people does them....not sure why....but hopefully he gets compensated well ..

 

[MedicineMan99]

I think the spirit of the question is the same as, "Can a FP who does EGDs bill the same as a GI doc who does EGDs?" or "Does a ENT who diagnoses AOM bill the same as a FP who diagnoses AOM?" I think the answer is yes, but I'm not sure.

 

[deleted87716]

All Medicare codes pay the same, regardless of specialty.

Commercial payers, not so much.

 

[styphon]

Since when do FP"s perform echos?? Not that I have ever seen. ( I probably will get flamed - go ahead)

I know multiple FM who do/read holters - and in one job opporunity, they expected the same for me.. But I don't know any who read echos - one large factor would be having your own echo machine and usually even small hospitals will have cardiology, or electronic service, that will read their echos.

 

[cabinbuilder]

I know multiple FM who do/read holters - and in one job opporunity, they expected the same for me.. But I don't know any who read echos - one large factor would be having your own echo machine and usually even small hospitals will have cardiology, or electronic service, that will read their echos.

Well, holter's are a far cry from cardiac echos.

 

[EdibleEgg]

As blue dog said, Medicare pays the same regardless of specialty. Commercial insurers are different, but in my neck of the woods, they are moving more in line with medicare.

Its not my cup of tea, but I know several family docs that read ECHO's. There are really few procedures out of the operating room that are not in the scope of a motived family physician.