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GAO: Self-Referrals For Advanced Imaging Cause Medicare Costs To Rise

A Government Accountability Office report recommends CMS take direct measures to reduce Medicare spending on self-referred imaging services, but the Medicare agency is not on board with most of GAO’s ideas.

Physicians who self-referred patients for advanced imaging services accounted for notably more growth in utilization and spending for these services by Medicare between 2004 and 2010 than doctors who referred patients for imaging at practices in which they had no financial interest, according to an Oct. 31 Government Accountability Office report.

As a result of its investigation, GAO recommends CMS take direct measures to reduce Medicare spending on self-referred imaging services, including selectively lowering reimbursement on imaging scans when they are...

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