Endocrine Society urges Congress to protect patient access to dual X-ray absorptiometry

Nov 27 2007

The Endocrine Society strongly urges Congress to protect patient access to DXA (dual X-ray absorptiometry) - the leading diagnostic tool for the early detection and management of osteoporosis.

New legislation introduced by Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NV), HR 4206 “Medicare Fracture Prevention and Osteoporosis Testing Act of 2007,” would restore essential funding for this vital healthcare service.

“Congresswoman Berkley should be commended for leading the charge to protect essential patient care for osteoporosis,” said Margaret Shupnik, Ph.D., president of The Endocrine Society. “This is vitally important for hundreds of thousands of women, particularly in rural areas, who rely on their personal physicians as their first and only line of defense against this debilitating yet preventable disease.”

Looming cuts to Medicare threaten to drastically reduce medical reimbursement for this service. Left unchecked, these cuts would prevent many doctors from providing DXA services in their offices.

A recent survey by the Lewin Group revealed that 90 percent of physicians who currently offer DXA would be unable to afford this service by the year 2010 when the cuts are scheduled to go into full effect. Congresswoman Berkley's legislation would restore Medicare funding for DXA to 2006 levels, before the cuts went into effect.

Optimal osteoporosis care requires the coming together of many different elements—accurate test results, direct medical intervention by endocrinologists and family practitioners, and personal attention to lifestyle and preventative care strategies. “Patients are best served when their doctors can have first-hand access to DXA test results and can consult with their patients directly to determine the most effective treatment and prevention options,” said Shupnik.

DXA is the recognized standard for testing for hip, spine, and vertebral fracture risk. It is the most widely used and most regarded bone density measurement technology.

Currently, only about 20 percent of eligible Medicare patients have had their bone density measured, demonstrating the fundamental need to ensure easy access to testing. Without an increase in prevention, the number of fractures due to osteoporosis is projected to increase by 50 percent by 2025. This increase in fractures equates to an annual healthcare cost of over $22 billion, which will likely increase costs to Medicare and Medicaid.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations on Osteoporosis urge routine osteoporosis screening for all women age 65 and older to identify those at risk for fracture and that routine screening begin for women age 60 at increased risk for fractures.

By supporting this legislation, Congresswoman Berkley and the 41 co-signers to H.R. 4206 recognize the essential role DXA plays in the health and wellbeing of women and men.

“The Endocrine Society and its partners in the medical community strongly endorse the efforts of Congresswoman Berkley and her colleagues to restore funding for this vital medical procedure,” said Shupnik. “Osteoporosis is a crippling disease; patients shouldn't face crippling obstacles when seeking treatment.”