2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule Includes Updated and Increased Reimbursement for Spine Surgery Procedures

As a result of ISASS’ comprehensive and persuasive comments as well as meeting with CMS after the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule was released, CMS changed their position on proposed payment cuts for most of the codes and accepted the values recommended by ISASS, the AMA Relative Value Update Committee (RUC), and other societies.

In this rule there are several spine-specific issues related to arthrodesis and decompression codes that would have significantly reduced payment for these procedures had the proposed values been finalized. While CMS changed its valuation for codes 22630, 22633 and 22634, it finalized values for codes 63052 and 63053 are less than those recommended by specialty societies and the RUC. ISASS will continue working to address this issue with CMS and the RUC.