AMIC 'strongly opposes' federal push to expand site-neutral payment policies

The Access to Medical Imaging Coalition (AMIC) announced Wednesday, Feb. 21, its opposition to President Donald Trump’s fiscal 2019 budget provision aimed at expanding site-neutral payment policies, according to a release. The move would reduce Medicare payments for imaging services performed in certain hospital and outpatient settings.

CMS already lowered reimbursement rates for many off-campus hospital outpatient departments in 2017 with the Outpatient Prospective Payment System Final Rule, which implied the rule could be expanded further in the future. At the time, AMIC Executive Director Tim Trysla said a site-neutral policy could have “a significant adverse impact” on the abilities of certain communities—especially in rural or low-income areas.

“Expanding the site neutral policy will impact rural and safety net hospitals, further limiting access to critical services for underserved patients,” Trysla said in this week’s statement. “Reimbursing hospital-based facilities at the same rate as physician offices undermines the longstanding principle that those facilities should be reimbursed based on the costs of providing care and the additional regulatory requirements they face.”

AMIC, which consists of physicians, patient organizations and imaging equipment manufacturers, says on its website it represents those who develop, apply and benefit from imaging technologies.