[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 42, Volume 2]
[Revised as of October 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 42CFR405.511]

[Page 125-126]
 
                         TITLE 42--PUBLIC HEALTH
 
                             HUMAN SERVICES
 
PART 405_FEDERAL HEALTH INSURANCE FOR THE AGED AND DISABLED--Table of 
Contents
 
          Subpart E_Criteria for Determining Reasonable Charges
 
Sec.  405.511  Reasonable charges for medical services, supplies, and 
equipment.

    (a) General rule. (1) A charge for any medical service, supply, or 
equipment (including equipment servicing) that in the judgment of CMS 
generally does not vary significantly in quality from one supplier to 
another (and that is

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identified by a notice published in the Federal Register) may not be 
considered reasonable if it exceeds:
    (i) The customary charge of the supplier (see Sec.  405.503);
    (ii) The prevailing charge in the locality (see Sec.  405.504);
    (iii) The charge applicable for a comparable service and under 
comparable circumstances to the policyholders or subscribers of the 
carrier (see Sec.  405.508);
    (iv) The lowest charge level at which the item or service is widely 
and consistently available in the locality (see paragraph (c) of this 
section); or
    (v) The inflation-indexed charge, as determined under Sec.  405.509, 
in the case of medical services, supplies, and equipment that are 
reimbursed on a reasonable charge basis (excluding physicians' 
services).
    (2) In the case of laboratory services, paragraph (a)(1) of this 
section is applicable to services furnished by physicians in their 
offices, by independent laboratories (see Sec.  405.1310(a)) and to 
services furnished by a hospital laboratory for individuals who are 
neither inpatients nor outpatients of a hospital. Allowance of 
additional charges exceeding the lowest charge level can be approved by 
the carrier on the basis of unusual circumstances or medical 
complications in accordance with Sec.  405.506.
    (b) Public notice of items and services subject to the lowest charge 
level rule. Before the Secretary determines that lowest charge levels 
should be established for an item or service, notice of the proposed 
determination will be published with an opportunity for public comment. 
The descriptions or specifications of items or services in the notice 
will be in sufficient detail to permit a determination that items or 
services conforming to the descriptions will not vary significantly in 
quality.
    (c) Calculating the lowest charge level. The lowest charge level at 
which an item or service is widely and consistently available in a 
locality is calculated by the carrier in accordance with instructions 
from CMS as follows:
    (1) For items or services furnished on or before December 31, 1986. 
(i) A lowest charge level is calculated for each identified item or 
service in January and July of each year.
    (ii) The lowest charge level for each identified item or service is 
set at the 25th percentile of the charges (incurred or submitted on 
claims processed by the carrier) for that item or service, in the 
locality designated by the carrier for this purpose, during the second 
calendar quarter preceding the determination date. Accordingly, the 
January calculations will be based on charges for the July through 
September quarter of the previous calendar year, and the July 
calculations will be based on charges for the January through March 
quarter of the same calendar year.
    (2) For items or services furnished on or after January 1, 1987. (i) 
A lowest charge level is calculated for each identified item or service 
in January of each year.
    (ii) The lowest charge level for each identified item or service is 
set at the 25th percentile of the charges (incurred or submitted on 
claims processed by the carrier) for that item or service, in the 
locality designated by the carrier for this purpose, during the 3-month 
period of July 1 through September 30 preceding the fee screen year 
(January 1 through December 31) for which the item or service was 
furnished.
    (3) Lowest charge levels for laboratory services. In setting lowest 
charge levels for laboratory services, the carrier will consider only 
charges made for laboratory services performed by physicians in their 
offices, by independent laboratories which meet coverage requirements, 
and for services furnished by a hospital laboratory for individuals who 
are neither inpatients nor outpatients of a hospital.
    (d) Locality. Subject to the approval of the Secretary, the carrier 
may designate its entire service area as the locality for purposes of 
this section, or may otherwise modify the localities used for 
calculating prevailing charges. (The modified locality for an item or 
service will also be used for calculating the prevailing charge for that 
item or service.)

(Secs. 1102, 1842(b) and 1871, 1903(i)(1) of the Social Security Act; 49 
Stat. 647, 79 Stat. 302, 310, 331, 86 Stat. 1395, 1454 (42 U.S.C. 1302, 
1395u(b), 1395hh, 1396b(i)(1)))

[43 FR 32300, July 26, 1978, as amended at 50 FR 40174, Oct. 1, 1985; 51 
FR 34979, Oct. 1, 1986]

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