Anesthesiologists and pain physicians who have been receiving bonuses for participating in Medicare’s Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) should continue to do what they have been doing.  The proposed Fee Schedule rule (NPRM) for 2013 does not contain any new requirements affecting those who are already successfully participating, as we noted summarily in last week’s Alert.For physicians who have yet to earn a PQRS incentive payment, the NPRM would make reporting easier in future years.  This is important, because failure to report PQRS measures will result in financial penalties beginning in 2015—based on reporting in 2013.  The amount of the payment adjustment, positive or negative, will be as follows: 2013+0.5% 2014+0.5% 2015-1.5% 2016 on-2.0% CMS has stated that one of its major goals in developing its proposed changes was to increase participation to 50% of eligible providers in 2015.  In 2010, the overall level of participation was only 24 percent.  (“2010 Reporting Experience, Including Trends (2007-2011): Physician...