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FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
Contact:
molly@nof.org
(202) 721-6341 or (202) 607-4814
Proposed Bill to Protect Patient
Access to Osteoporosis Testing
By Reversing Cuts in Medicare
Reimbursement
Study finds reimbursement for DXA
test will save Medicare $1.14 billion
over five years
WASHINGTON, D.C.,
(NOVEMBER 26, 2007)—In an effort to
protect patient access to osteoporosis
testing and reduce the physical and
economic burden of osteoporosis for
millions of Americans, Congress
introduced H.R. 4206 “Medicare Fracture
Prevention and Osteoporosis Testing Act
of 2007,” sponsored by Congresswoman
Shelley Berkley (D-1st-NV) and supported
by 41 original cosponsors. The bill
calls for the reversal of drastic cuts
in Medicare reimbursement for Dual
Energy X-ray Absorptiometry, DXA, the
imaging procedure accepted as the gold
standard for diagnosing osteoporosis.
This legislation builds on federal
initiatives already in place to increase
fracture prevention efforts and improve
the prevention, detection and treatment
of osteoporosis.
Medicare reimbursement for DXA has been
cut to levels substantially below the
cost to perform the procedure. As a
result, many physicians, clinics and
mobile services around the country are
discontinuing this critical health
service —greatly reducing the public’s
access to the test and jeopardizing
patients’ quality of care.
This creates unnecessary barriers for
those who cannot take the time for
multiple healthcare provider visits and
poses a serious threat to the frail and
elderly who cannot travel long
distances, particularly those living in
rural areas. According to estimates,
less than 14 percent of those who are
eligible are being tested for
osteoporosis; by passing this bill we
can prevent this number from plunging
even lower.
“In the U.S. today, one in two women and
one in four men 50 and over will break a
bone due to osteoporosis. We need
Congress to pass this legislation in
order to assure that access to testing
is preserved and that those at risk of
devastating and costly fractures are
diagnosed and properly treated to
prevent fractures.” said Ethel Siris,
M.D., president of the National
Osteoporosis Foundation.
A recent study completed by The Lewin
Group finds that restoring DXA
reimbursement to the 2006 levels will
save the Medicare program $1.14 billion
over five years due to the reduced
number of osteoporotic fractures. DXA is
a key tool in identifying those at risk
for osteoporosis and helping those with
the disease monitor their bone health.
It is a recognized, reliable tool for
preventing and reducing costly
fractures, which account for $18 billion
in national costs of direct care and are
projected to increase by 50 percent over
the next two decades, reaching $25.3
billion in 2025.
Osteoporosis now causes an estimated 2
million fractures each year and often
results in immobility, pain, placement
in a nursing home, isolation and other
health problems—conditions and
circumstances that could largely be
prevented through proper bone density
testing and diagnosis.
The National Osteoporosis Foundation
applauds Representative Berkley and all
of the cosponsors for introducing H.R.
4206 “Medicare Fracture Prevention and
Osteoporosis Testing Act of 2007” and we
ask Congress to pass this bill and
support access to care for the 10
million individuals with osteoporosis
and the 34 million individuals estimated
to have low bone mass across the
country.
###
Established in 1984, the National
Osteoporosis Foundation is the nation’s
leading voluntary health organization
solely dedicated to osteoporosis and
bone health. Its mission is to prevent
osteoporosis and related fractures, to
promote lifelong bone health, to help
improve the lives of those affected by
osteoporosis, and to find a cure through
programs of awareness, advocacy, public
and health professional education and
research. For more information on
osteoporosis and bone health, contact
NOF online at www.nof.org or by
telephone (800) 231-4222.
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