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Update on DXA/VFA Reimbursement Cuts

The Public Policy booklet from ISCD Annual Meeeting is now posted as a PDF file on the Annual Meeting page
(click here to go to that page now).

In the previous weeks there have been a number of significant developments on the DXA/VFA Medicare reimbursement front:

Legislation introduced to delay the DRA

On March 1, 2007, H.R. 1293, “The Access to Medicare Imaging Act of 2007,” was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives calling for a two-year delay in the Medicare physician payment reductions for imaging services that were enacted under the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) of 2005. The legislation directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to evaluate the impact of the DRA payment reductions on patient access and service issues, with a focus on seniors living in rural and medically underserved areas.

Even more significantly, H.R. 1293 also requires that the DRA imaging cuts apply only to “Advanced Diagnostic Imaging Services” defined as MRI, CT, PET and nuclear cardiology. The bill stipulates that all other imaging services be excluded from the DRA cuts. This provision is new and was not contained in the DRA legislation introduced in the last Congress (H.R. 5704). This is a critical provision as it would exclude x-ray procedures, such as DXA and VFA, from the DRA cuts even after the two year moratorium is over.

ISCD will contact you with more detailed information to coordinate support of this legislation.

Coalition Meeting

On March 1, 2007, ISCD President Neil Binkley moderated a meeting of a number of clinical societies and patient advocacy groups concerned about the unprecedented cuts to osteoporosis testing. This meeting was held at the National Osteoporosis Foundation headquarters in Washington D.C. and included representatives from the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, American College of Rheumatology, American Society for Bone & Mineral Research, the US Bone and Joint Decade, National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (Osteoporosis Council), National Council of Women’s Organizations, and The Endocrine Society. These organizations, representing over 200,000 members, are coordinating resources and strategy to confront this crisis in the care of patients with osteoporosis. The focal point of the strategy will be the introduction of new federal legislation freezing reimbursement for DXA and VFA at 2006 levels. In addition, the group will:

Coordinate support of H.R. 1293, The Access to Medicare Imaging Act of 2007 that is summarized above;

Generate data, including a survey of members, regarding the effects of the cuts on patient access to care;

Launch a media campaign to raise awareness of osteoporosis and the damaging effect of the Medicare cuts on the delivery of these critical services.

Your help will be essential in supporting H.R. 1293 and the forthcoming legislation noted above. ISCD will keep you posted, and in the near future will provide suggestions to help you assist in the fight to preserve DXA testing in the office setting.

H.R. 1293 TEXT

PUBLIC POLICY FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS