Medicaid/Medicare

Pay first, evidence later.

Merrill Goozer reports (“CMS okays heart scan…“) on how Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has reversed a policy to stop paying for heart scans.  There has been no clinical evidence to show that these expensive heart scans identify heart disease any better than less expensive procedures (i.e.: stress tests).

Physician revenue, however, would be hurt by this decision and after extensive lobbying, CMS has decided that paying for heart scans may be a good decision after all.  In the words of Merrill Goozer: “Pay first, evidence later. It’s the American way.”