WASHINGTON, DC (March 8, 2007)—U.S. Rep. Bobby L. Rush introduced a bill this week that will ensure that Medicare patients and their doctors have access to the most advanced diagnostic tools available.

“Too many people in America are dying before their time simply because they don’t have access to good, preventive health care. Early and accurate diagnosis of diseases ensures preventive care, treatment and maintenance,” said Rep. Rush. “We must make sure that everyone, not just those with money and resources, has access to safe, affordable advance healthcare by removing unnecessary barriers. This bill will do that.”

Medicare patients are discouraged from taking the advice of a doctor to get various diagnostic tests for early disease detection because Medicare does not pay for such tests.

The Medicare Advanced Laboratory Diagnostics Act of 2007 (H.R. 1321) sponsored by Rep. Bobby L. Rush (D-IL) and Rep. Mike Ferguson (R-NJ) will update the Medicare payment polity to allow patients access to the most sophisticated tests. Specifically, the Bill will amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve payments under the Medicare clinical laboratory fee schedule.

Currently, clinical diagnostic laboratory tests account for less than 2 percent of Medicare spending, but influence 70 percent of healthcare decisions. Increasing access to diagnostic technology and updating the reimbursement scale for this technology will contribute to more cutting-edge technology, appropriate diagnosis, prevention strategies, and treatment therapies for patients, explained Rush.

By improving our diagnostic capabilities, we will be saving the Medicare Program and American tax-payers millions, if not billions of dollars.

On March 5, the bill was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Ways and Means for consideration.

For a copy of the bill, go to: http://www.congress.gov/cgi-lis/query/z?c110:H.R.1321:

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