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December 23, 2002
U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS
"Medicare to Cut Doctor Fees 4.4 Percent; Raise Vaccine Payments" Dow Jones Newswire (www.djnewswires.com) (12/20/02); Middleton, Otesa
Next year will mark the second consecutive year for physician fee cuts by Medicare. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the 4.4 percent reduction in fees Medicare pays doctors may lower the number of doctors willing to accept new Medicare patients and may force others to charge patients for the unreimbursed portion of their services. The fees paid will decrease starting Feb. 15, using a formula that factors in inflation and productivity in doctors' services; the formula can only be changed by Congress. Meanwhile, Medicare plans to increase administration payments for some preventive health measures, such as vaccines, with payments for the flu shots, for example, increasing 82 percent from $3.98 to $7.26.
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OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR
LEGAL ADVICE. THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND
COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH
YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.