While the integrated model of health care delivery in the independent medical practice setting has been proven to produce better health outcomes at lower costs, President Obama’s 2016 budget would make it illegal for integrated physician practices to provide ancillary services such as advanced imaging, radiation therapy, anatomic pathology and physical therapy.
The GOP Doctors Caucus sent a letter to Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy opposing repeal of the in-office ancillary services exemption, and drawing attention to new data that underscores the importance of competition among health care providers. The letter states that the increasing consolidation of health care providers raises anti-competitive and cost concerns for patients, while two studies cited in the letter from the American Medical Association and DHPA found in-office ancillary services furnished in independent physicians’ offices to be a small percentage of overall utilization and cost of these services. The GOP Doctors Caucus wrote that repealing IOASE would “fragment care and result in more delivery being furnished in higher cost settings.”
The letter also encouraged House Leadership to reject repeal of the IOASE as an offset for any future legislation and voiced its commitment to expanding patient choice on where to receive high quality, affordable care and to support competition in the health care market place.