Changes in Outpatient Payment for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Services

The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) has identified a significant alteration in reimbursement rates that demands immediate attention of interested parties. The Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment- Notice of Final Rulemaking with Comment Period (NFRM) for 2024, which was recently published, has set the national unadjusted reimbursement rate for CPT code G0277 (hyperbaric oxygen therapy, per 30 minutes) at $73.64. This is a stark contrast to the anticipated rate of approximately $134 per 30 minutes.

Why This Matters

There was no prior mention of changes to hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the Proposed Rule released in July, implying that this adjustment could be an error. If left unchanged, this unexpected reduction may impact the operational dynamics of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Departments (HOPD) across healthcare institutions.

What Can You Do?

A window for commentary on this matter is currently open, but the deadline is approaching swiftly - comments must be submitted by January 1, 2024. It is crucial for all stakeholders in the hyperbaric medicine community to express their concerns and seek clarification during this period.

• Stakeholders are encouraged to sign on to this letter drafted by the UHMS to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra and CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to urge CMS to reverse these cuts and implement a 3% increase in reimbursement that was contemplated in the 2024 OPPS proposed rule.
• Alternatively, the UHMS is collecting signatures to this letter by COB on Friday, December 8th. 

How to Comment

To ensure your voice is heard, comments can be submitted through the following channels:

• Electronically: Submit comments via regulations.gov, following the "Submit a comment" instructions.
• By Regular Mail: Address your comments to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services, Attention: CMS-1786-FC, P.O. Box 8010, Baltimore, MD 21244-8010. Ensure they are posted in time.
• By Express/Overnight Mail: Send to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services, Attention: CMS-1786-FC, Mail Stop C4-26-05, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.

When commenting, please reference file code CMS-1786-FC. For further details or assistance, please contact Au’Sha Washington at AushaWashington@cms.hhs.gov or call 410-786-3736.

We encourage you to participate in the commentary period. Your expertise and opinion are invaluable in shaping the future of hyperbaric medicine reimbursement.