Here are six things to know about the cost of colonoscopy and the potential impact of a physician reimbursement cut, according to an AJMC Managed Markets Network report.
• Medicare paid physicians $239 million in professional fees for 1.1 million screening and diagnostic colonoscopies performed in 2012.
• The 2014 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule reduced reimbursement for upper endoscopy procedures and colonoscopy may face similar cuts in 2015.
• The professional fee for colonoscopy is approximately 20 percent of the total cost of colonoscopy.
• Colonoscopy hospital outpatient department facility fee is more than double the professional fee.
• Taking into consideration how small a percent the professional fee is, reducing the physician reimbursement would not have a large impact on overall colonoscopy cost.
• Reducing physician compensation for colonoscopy may negatively affect access and utilization of the procedure.
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