FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 11, 2006
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CONGRESS SPARES PHYSICIANS TO ENSURE MEDICARE PATIENTS RECEIVE CARE; ACCESS TO IMAGING TECHNOLOGY STILL IN JEOPARDY
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Washington, D.C.—AdvaMed President and CEO Stephen J. Ubl issued the following statement in response to Congress’s passage of The Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006:
“The elimination of the drastic cuts that physicians had faced under the 2006 update to the Physician Fee Schedule is critical. The proposed reductions would have had a devastating impact on patients. A recent American Medical Association survey revealed a majority of physicians said the proposed cuts would have forced them to defer purchases of new medical technology and health information systems crucial to good patient care.
“The bill provides physicians with higher reimbursements for reporting quality measures. We are pleased with the emphasis Congress has placed on improving the quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries. But we also applaud its decision not to impose efficiency standards until a firmer foundation is established to assure that the measures accurately reflect value and do not create a ‘cheapest is best’ approach to health care.
“Congress deserves kudos for the R&D Tax Credit extension. This credit is vital to medical innovation and preserving high-wage jobs in the medical technology industry and especially to emerging growth companies. The decisions on the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), the Andean Trade Preferences Act (ATPEA) and the Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status for Vietnam, show Congress’s firm commitment to open-market policies.
“However, we are disappointed that Congress failed to eliminate the draconian reductions for imaging procedures mandated by the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. Advanced imaging technologies are critical to early disease detection. They often eliminate the need for invasive exploratory surgeries and play a vital role in determining the best treatment options.
“We encourage the 110th Congess to recognize the benefits that imaging technologies provide to patients and revisit this issue early next year.”
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AdvaMed member companies produce the medical devices, diagnostic products and health information systems that are transforming health care through earlier disease detection, less invasive procedures and more effective treatments. Our members produce nearly 90 percent of the health care technology purchased annually in the United States and more than 50 percent purchased annually around the world. AdvaMed members range from the largest to the smallest medical technology innovators and companies.