Final Medicaid Rule Goes into Effect

Health and Human Services secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Thursday announced the final rule implementing the part of the health care law that delivers higher payments to primary care physicians serving Medicaid beneficiaries.

The new rule raises rates to ensure doctors are paid the same for treating Medicare and Medicaid patients and does not raise costs for states.

The final rule implements the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that Medicaid pay physicians practicing in family medicine, general internal medicine, pediatric medicine, and related subspecialists at Medicare levels in calendar years 2013 and 2014.

This payment increase goes into effect in January of 2013.