Changes for the 2015 calendar year for private practice PTs.

In January, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released its first set of timelines for a transition away from fee-for-service payment models in Medicare, in an effort to create payment systems based on outcomes rather than services provided. As the payment system shifts toward outcomes-based reimbursement, the focus is on increased provider accountability and high-quality patient care. This transformation of health care relies on reporting programs such as the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) as stepping stones to achieving broader, outcome-based payment.

Major programmatic changes in PQRS for 2015 include: