Bill for Direct Billing
A new bill could eliminate government red tape that discourages doctors from ordering life-saving lab tests. Congressman Jason Altmire (PA-04) and Congressman Tim Murphy (PA-18) have introduced legislation to improve patients' access to life-saving diagnostic tests. The Patient Access to Critical Lab Tests Act (H.R. 1699) will eliminate burdensome Medicare billing regulations that often discourage hospitals from ordering lab tests that can clarify complicated diagnoses and reveal uniquely effective methods of treatment.
The legislation would improve patients' access to potentially life-saving lab tests by allowing independent laboratories to directly bill Medicare for the specialized tests they perform. The expectation is that by streamlining the reimbursement process doctors will not be discouraged from ordering tests that could improve the quality of treatment for patients.
Says Altmire, "In recent years, life-saving diagnostic lab tests have been developed that can help doctors clarify inconclusive diagnoses and tailor treatments according to individual patient's DNA and the specific makeup of their disease. Unfortunately, today's arcane Medicare billing regulations often discourage hospitals from ordering these potentially life-saving tests for their patients. This legislation will cut through the red tape to ensure that doctors can utilize all the tools at their disposal to provide patients with the best possible care."