Medicare would permit nurse practitioners and physician assistants to bill directly for their services under a proposal being considered by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission.

Currently such services are billed as “incident to” physician services, but according to a report in Becker’s Hospital Review,

MedPAC staff told commissioners there are problems with “incident to” billing because it “obscures policymakers’ knowledge of who is providing care for beneficiaries,” “inhibits accurate valuation of fee schedule services,” and “increases Medicare beneficiary spending.”  Staff also said that physician assistants and nurse practitioners increasingly practice outside of primary care.

MedPAC is an independent congressional agency that advises Congress on issues involving the Medicare program.  While its recommendations are not binding on either Congress or the administration, MedPAC is highly influential in governing circles and its recommendations often find their way into legislation, regulations, and new public policy.

MedPAC commissioners are expected to vote on the recommendation next month.

Learn more about the billing recommendation in this article in Becker’s Hospital Review.