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Screening Mammography: Higher Medicare Payments Could Increase Costs Without Increasing Use

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Report Type Reports and Testimonies
Report Date April 22, 1993
Report No. HRD-93-50
Subject
Summary:

Increasing the cap on Medicare payments to encourage physicians to offer mammography in their offices is not a cost-effective way to expand the use of screening mammography. A study by the Department of Health and Human Services shows that the United States already has more than enough mammography machines, even if all women received screening mammograms at intervals suggested by the National Cancer Institute. A substantial increase in the Medicare payment to support more low-volume machines is likely to increase excess capacity, increase prices for mammograms, and reduce the availability of affordable mammography services. In addition, inconsistent guidelines issued by the Health Care Financing Administration and differing Medicare regulations for diagnostic and screening mammography have led to confusion about the appropriate billing procedures for screening mammography provided under package leasing arrangements.

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