Washington, D.C. – The Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA), the Council on Radionuclides and Radiopharmaceuticals, Inc. (CORAR), and the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) today commended Senators Marsha Blackburn and Tammy Baldwin for introducing the bipartisan Facilitating Innovative Nuclear Diagnostics (FIND) Act of 2023 (SB 1544).
Over 20 million Americans benefit from the use of diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceutical drugs, required in nuclear medicine procedures, each year. These drugs are used to diagnose and treat a wide variety of life-threatening conditions, including Alzheimer’s & Parkinson’s disease, breast & prostate cancer, heart disease, and neuroendocrine tumors. However, the current Medicare reimbursement methodology applied in the outpatient setting packages diagnostic radiopharmaceutical drugs into nuclear medicine procedure payments. This reimbursement methodology is flawed and creates a disincentive for hospitals to utilize innovative diagnostic radiopharmaceutical drugs.
S.B. 1544, which reflects companion legislation already introduced in the House (H.R. 1199), offers a bipartisan, legislative fix for this flawed payment methodology which will ensure more patients have access to these innovations.
“The FIND Act would ensure that payment policy for serious conditions - from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease to prostate cancer and neuroendocrine tumors - keeps up with the progress achieved in medical science,” said Patrick Hope, Executive Director of the Medical Imaging and Technology Alliance. “We applaud Senators Marsha Blackburn and Tammy Baldwin for their leadership on this issue and look forward to working alongside them to expand patient access to innovative therapies.”
“Diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals are an indispensable tool in detecting and diagnosing serious diseases in today’s medical landscape, yet they remain out of reach for many Medicare beneficiaries, so I strongly encourage colleagues of Senators Blackburn and Baldwin to support the Find Act.” said Michael J. Guastella, Executive Director of the Council on Radionuclides and Radiopharmaceuticals, Inc. (CORAR). “In addition, I urge patients and health care providers to contact their representatives to convey their support for this bipartisan bill and reinforce that the FIND Act ensures that patients and providers will have access to the latest tools and technologies. The FIND Act will improve patient health outcomes and help reduce the need for more invasive and expensive procedures.”
“Diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals have been shown to provide more precise information about the presence and extent of disease and more accurate assessment of response to various treatments, thereby allowing the clinicians to make more informed decisions, saving costs and improving patient outcomes,” said Munir Ghesani MD, President of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI). “We look forward to working with Senators Blackburn and Baldwin on advancing the FIND Act, which will make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients and providers alike.”