Determination of reasonable charges for physician renal transplantation services.

§ 414.320 Determination of reasonable charges for physician renal transplantation services. (a) Comprehensive payment for services furnished during a 60-day period. (1) The comprehensive payment is subject to the deductible and coinsurance provisions and is for all surgeon services furnished during a period of 60 days in connection with a renal transplantation, including the usual preoperative and postoperative care, and for immunosuppressant therapy if supervised by the transplant surgeon. (2) Additional sums, in amounts established on the basis of program experience, may be included in the comprehensive payment for other surgery performed concurrently with the transplant operation. (3) The amount of the comprehensive payment may not exceed the lower of the following: (i) The actual charges made for the services. (ii) Overall national payment levels established under the ESRD program and adjusted to give effect to variations in physician's charges throughout the nation. (These adjusted amounts are the maximum allowances in a carrier's service area for renal transplantation surgery and related services by surgeons.) (4) Maximum allowances computed under these instructions are revised at the beginning of each calendar year to the extent permitted by the lesser of the following: (i) Changes in the economic index as described in § 405.504(a)(3)(i) of this chapter. (ii) Percentage changes in the weighted average of the carrier's prevailing charges (before adjustment by the economic index) for— (A) A unilateral nephrectomy; or (B) Another medical or surgical service designated by CMS for this purpose. (b) Other payments. Payments for covered medical services furnished to the transplant beneficiary by other specialists, as well as for services by the transplant surgeon after the 60-day period covered by the comprehensive payment, are made under the reasonable charge criteria set forth in § 405.502 (a) through (d) of this chapter. The payments for physicians' services in connection with renal transplantations are changed on the basis of program experience and the expected advances in the medical art for this operation.