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 […]
Remove Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening
Currently, seniors are not charged coinsurance for a routine colonoscopy screening. However, if a polyp is discovered during the screening and removed, which is the appropriate standard of care, seniors face paying high coinsurance fees. This occurs because the removal of the polyps or tissue triggers a change in the classification of the service provided from a “screening” service to a “therapeutic” or “diagnostic” service under Medicare’s billing codes. Thus, patients are often surprised by these out-of-pocket costs for what ends up being a potentially life-saving, medically necessary procedure.
DHPA strongly supports the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act (H.R. 1017, S. 479), bipartisan legislation to remove financial barriers to life-saving colorectal cancer screenings and treatment for Medicare beneficiaries. The legislation, introduced by Congressmen Dent (R-PA-15), Payne (D-NJ-10) and Lance (R-NJ-7) as well as Senators Brown (D-OH), Wicker (R-MS), Cardin (D-MD) and Collins (R-ME) enjoys broad, bipartisan support in both chambers.
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 […]
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 […]