CMS officials have confirmed that, in light of the last minute legislative intervention, the Medicare Participation decision period is being reopened for an additional 45 days. Prior to this determination, the deadline for physicians to decide if they would be "participating" or "non-participating" physicians for 2008 was December 31, 2007; the new deadline to notify carriers of changes in participation status is February 15, 2008.

The AMA asked CMS whether participation decisions for 2008 will be binding for the entire year or only for six months, and whether there will be another participation period before the 0.5 percent payment update expires on June 30, 2008. For now, CMS has indicated that participation decisions made by Feb. 15, 2008, will be binding for the entire year.

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