A survey of physician practices and imaging providers by the Access to Medical Imaging Coalition (AMIC) has found nine of 10 providers reporting a negative financial hit from Medicare rate cuts for medical imaging.
The phone and email survey of physician practices and imaging providers of AMIC's membership asked participants to assess how Medicare payment rate reductions have affected their practice. Relevant Medicare policy changes included an increase the assumed utilization rate for high-tech imaging equipment from 50% to 75% of capacity and the first year of a four-year phase-in for a new practice expense formula for radiology, noted Tim Trysla, AMIC executive director.
About 42% of the 131 respondents said they were forced to reduce personnel. More than 24% said they decided against upgrading their medical imaging equipment.
While the survey revealed Medicare payment policy has been a job killer, respondents said they are facing growing administrative staffing pressures as a result of the increased use of radiology benefit managers (RBMs) by private payors for prior authorization for imaging services, and more than 43% reported having to hire additional administrative staff.
In an environment of reduced reimbursements, the survey results indicate that the RBM model is ineffective because it imposes unnecessary administrative costs on practices and creates artificial barriers for patients, AMIC concluded.
