The current focus on improving Medicare physician payment through alternative payment models (APMs) is widely perceived as a major shift away from fee-for-service that will reduce the importance of improving Medicare’s Physician Fee Schedule (PFS). But if APMs replace the PFS as the dominant payment methods, key aspects of the fee schedule (or an equivalent tool) will remain important and deserve attention. Not only does the PFS govern nearly $90 billion in Medicare payments annually, but it is the basis for setting payment rates, making real-time payments to providers, and calculating shared savings.

The Urban Institute, the USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy, and the Actuarial Research Corporation will host a one-day conference on the evolution and state of the PFS to consider the movement to new payment models. The conference will include four sessions and a lunchtime address and will feature experts who designed and implemented the PFS 25 years ago, those currently working on improvements, and those designing and implementing new APMs and other innovations.

Click here to see the event agenda and speaker list.