Medicare Carriers Manual 112202: On November 22, 2002, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published changes to the Carrier Manual Instructions (CMI), Section 15016, Supervising Physicians in Teaching Settings.
While the teaching physician regulation that was effective on July 1, 1996 remains unchanged, the revised CMI makes important positive changes in the documentation requirements by reducing the amount of personal documentation that the teaching physician must provide when a resident also writes a note. The revised language makes it clear that for E/M services, teaching physicians need not repeat documentation already provided by a resident. Further, the revisions clarify other issues, including the use of documentation by students, and updates regulatory references. The instructions should be carefully reviewed by each institution.
