Medicare Reimbursement Trends for Hospital-Based Oral Maxillofacial Surgery Procedures: 2003 to 2020

Abstract

To evaluate recent trends in Medicare reimbursement rates for common hospital-based oral-maxillofacial surgery procedures. Physician Fee Schedule Look-Up Tool by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services was searched for reimbursement rates for the 20 most performed oral-maxillofacial surgery procedures between 2003 and 2020. Total percent change, annual percent change, and compound annual growth rate (CAGR) were calculated using the adjusted reimbursement rates over the study period. Annual changes in reimbursement rates before and after 2016 were compared. After adjusting for inflation, average reimbursement rates for procedures decreased by 13.4%. Annual percent change and CAGR were -0.79 and -0.88%, respectively. Annual reimbursements decreased more between 2016 to 2020 (-1.83%,) than from 2003 to 2016 (-0.49%; P value=.003). Inflation-adjusted Medicare reimbursement rates for oral-maxillofacial surgery procedures have decreased from 2003 to 2020. The rate of reimbursement decreases has accelerated in recent years.