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Imaging Not Responsible for Increase in Medicare Spending
Contrary to a commonly-held opinion, advanced imaging is not a significant driver in the ever-rising National Healthcare Expenditure (NHE), according to a recent study published in the Current Problems in Diagnostic Radiology. By 2019, the National Healthcare Expenditure (NHE) had climbed to $3.8 trillion – almost 20% of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product and…
Read MoreMedPAC Recommends No Medicare Payment Update for 2023
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) issued its latest report to Congress on March 15. Their opinion was simple and direct — Medicare payments don’t need to be increased in 2023. Their report stated, “Overall, access to clinician services for Medicare beneficiaries appears stable and comparable to that for privately insured individuals.” And they continued…
Read MoreDiagnostic Radiology Experienced 44% Decline in Medicare Reimbursement over Last 10 Years
Diagnostic radiology has experienced a 44% Medicare reimbursement reduction over the past 10 years. Medicare reimbursements for diagnostic radiology began declining with the passage of the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) of 2006. Recent research led by Derrek Schartz, MD of the Department of Imaging Sciences at the University of Rochester, showed that adjusting for inflation…
Read MoreCongress Rescinds 10% Medicare Cuts for 2022
2022 Medicare physician billing rates are now finalized after Congress disallowed most of the proposed 9.75% CMS cuts. The “Protecting Medicare and American Farmers from Sequester Cuts Act” passed both Houses last week and was signed by President Biden. This act provides the following relief. Delays the 4% cut for the PAYGO (pay-as-you-go) provision until…
Read MoreMedicare Beneficiaries Growth Outpaces Growth in Radiologists
Research presented at the recent Radiological Society of North America meeting shows that the number of Medicare beneficiaries is overtaking the number of existing radiologists in some geographical regions of the U.S. There is a gap in several areas where the growth rate of Medicare beneficiaries exceeds the growth rate of radiologists in their region.…
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