NMUs still need NMU version numbering, right?

[Nathanael Nerode <neroden@twcny.rr.com>]

I've been seeing a lot of NMUs using regular (maintainer) version 
numbers lately.
Like libpalm-perl 1.3.0-3.
I thought they were supposed to use the next slot down in the number.
Like libpalm-perl 1.3.0-2.1.
Right?

This still applies to zero-day NMUs, BSPs, and so on, right?

(It does not apply when the package maintainer is the QA group, 
debian-qa-packages@lists.debian.org, so if you orphan a package and 
change its maintainer to the QA group, you can use a regular maintainer 
version number.)

I'm asking because I find it convinient to be able to identify an NMU by 
version number alone (so it's easy to see
whether a maintainer hasn't touched his package in a long time).