A group of Republican legislators have drafted a "Dear Colleague" letter to members of the U.S. House of Representatives asking them to reconsider the Medicare cuts to imaging services payments that are mandated by the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) of 2005.
The letter states that the DRA "results in drastic cuts in reimbursement -- upwards of 30% to 50% -- for critical imaging services provided in physician offices and independent imaging centers." The letter notes that imaging services accounts for 10% of Medicare spending but is slated to absorb more than 30% of the Medicare cuts in the DRA.
In addition, there has been no analysis of the impact of the policy change on Medicare beneficiaries' access to imaging services in a setting that allows for timely diagnosis and treatment, the letter states. The DRA could force beneficiaries into higher co-pays and longer wait and travel times for imaging services.
The letter concludes by asking House speaker Rep. Dennis Hastert (R-IL) to try to help mitigate the impact of the payment reductions before they take effect on January 1, 2007.
The letter was drafted by three Republican House members: Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA), Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX), and Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-PA). Because Republicans currently control the House, the letter could demonstrate the importance of the issue to House leadership if it's signed by many Republican members, according to the American College of Radiology (ACR) of Reston, VA. The ACR is urging its members to get as many Republican House members as possible to sign the letter.
The letter opens a second front in the House in the campaign against the DRA. Last week, House Democrats introduced a resolution asking for an investigation into the signing of the legislation. The House and Senate versions of the DRA had not yet been reconciled when President George W. Bush signed the legislation on February 8. Two lawsuits have also been filed challenging the constitutionality of the law.
By AuntMinnie.com staff writers
April 3, 2006
Related Reading
House resolution urges DRA investigation, March 31, 2006
House Demos criticize Bush on DRA signing, March 24, 2006
Public Citizen files lawsuit against DRA, March 22, 2006
Alabama lawyer takes on Deficit Reduction Act, March 21, 2006
Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 puts radiology through the grinder, March 3, 2006
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