March 9, 2015, Washington, D.C. – The Digestive Health Physicians Association (DHPA®) today applauded U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Ben Cardin (D-MD) for introducing legislation that would remove barriers to life-saving colorectal cancer screenings and treatment. “On behalf of our 1,200 physician members who last year treated more than […]
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Advocacy
Protecting the Integrated Model of Care
High-quality, integrated care delivered in the independent medical practice setting is worthy of protection as an alternative to care that is often more costly when furnished in the hospital setting. Read more...
Saving the In Office Ancillary Service Exception (IOASE)
Integrated models of care allow for better coordination across specialties, translating into higher quality, lower cost and more accessible care for patients. Read more...
Pathology Services Utilization
Recent data, including 2009-2013 Medicare data relating to the cost and utilization of anatomic pathology (AP) services, demonstrates that the GAO report fails to tell the full story about cost and utilization. Read more...
Recent Advocacy
Medicare Anatomic Pathology Utilization: 2009 Through 2013
In June 2013, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a report, “Medicare Action Needed to Address Higher Use of Anatomic Pathology Services by Providers Who Self-Refer” (GAO Report), which discussed the utilization of anatomic pathology (AP) services in the fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare program. The GAO Report focused on the growth of AP services between calendar years 2004 […]
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DHPA Supports Removing of Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act in the House of Representatives
In July 2014, DHPA wrote to Representative Charlie Dent to express support for his legislation, the “Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act of 2014.” The legislation sought to remove a Medicare loophole that required patients to pay a co-pay if a polyp was discovered and removed during a routine diagnostic colonoscopy — a procedure which […]
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DHPA Supports Removing of Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act in the Senate
In July 2014, DHPA wrote to Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) to express support for his legislation, the “Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act of 2014.” The act sought to remove a Medicare loophole that required patients to pay a co-pay if a polyp was discovered and removed during a routine diagnostic colonoscopy — a procedure […]
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NIHCR Research Brief: Hospital Outpatient Prices Much Higher than Community Settings for Identical Services
Many medical services—for example, an MRI scan—are provided both in hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs) and community settings, such as physician offices and freestanding imaging or ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs). Services commonly provided in both settings include laboratory tests, physical therapy, outpatient surgery, standard and advanced imaging, physician visits, and noninvasive and invasive procedures, such as […]
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