“In the ongoing public discourse around government efficiency, Medicare has come under intense scrutiny for its financial burden and future sustainability. Both political parties agree that benefits should be protected and have highlighted the urgent need for reform.
The way forward, therefore, lies in more efficient use of new technologies that can both save lives and lessen the cost of care. One immediate fix that would improve Medicare and at the same time promote government efficiency is maintaining coverage for genetic testing.
However, a little-noticed decision set to take effect this month by Novitas Solutions, the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) that has jurisdiction over Pennsylvania and the surrounding region, threatens to put life-saving genetic testing for cancer patients out of reach for many in the state. Novitas has decided to remove Medicare coverage for nine genetic tests used to diagnose and guide treatment for cancer patients that were previously approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
This decision is wrong. It will cost lives and raise the cost of care for thousands of patients, exactly the opposite of what Novitas is trying to achieve.”
Read more from Joseph R. Mason in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.