Medicare spending on medical imaging continues to decline, with Medicare patients receiving fewer imaging procedures than in previous years, according to an analysis by the Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance, reported in Healthcare IT News.
According to the report, spending on imaging services for each Medicare beneficiary has decreased 13.2 percent since 2006. Imaging utilization per beneficiary decreased by 3 percent in 2010.
The trend is not reflective of Medicare spending overall: Spending for non-imaging Medicare services has grown by 20 percent since 2006 and increased 2 percent in 2010. The decline in Medicare imaging spending may be due to the Deficit Reduction Act, which was implemented in 2006 and included significant imaging-specific reimbursement cuts.
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According to the report, spending on imaging services for each Medicare beneficiary has decreased 13.2 percent since 2006. Imaging utilization per beneficiary decreased by 3 percent in 2010.
The trend is not reflective of Medicare spending overall: Spending for non-imaging Medicare services has grown by 20 percent since 2006 and increased 2 percent in 2010. The decline in Medicare imaging spending may be due to the Deficit Reduction Act, which was implemented in 2006 and included significant imaging-specific reimbursement cuts.
Related Articles on Coding, Billing and Collections:
Money Matters: How the ASC Revenue Cycle Impacts Patient Satisfaction
Georgia Panel Recommends Non-Profit Insurance Exchange
Texas Considers Cutting Medicaid Reimbursements