NEW YORK—A new study released on Sunday by Rep. Anthony Weiner (D–Brooklyn and Queens) and Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D–Manhattan and Queens) found that NYC women have to wait as long as four months for mammogram screening that is used for early detection of breast cancer. Some breast tumors have been found to double in size in a one-month timeframe.
According to the study report, New York state has the second highest rate of breast cancer in the nation, with 14,000 new cases and 3,000 related deaths estimated in 2008.
Rep. Weiner’s staff contacted 33 randomly selected public and private health centers to inquire about the earliest appointment for a mammogram. Fourteen of these facilities listed a wait time of at least one month, which was also the citywide average.
“New Yorkers have the second highest rate of breast cancer in the country—but some of the longest waits for mammograms,” stated Rep. Maloney. “Early detection makes all the difference. If you catch breast cancer early, you have a greater chance of living. It’s that simple,” she added.
The range of wait times varied greatly among the boroughs, with waiting periods averaging 1.2 weeks in Manhattan, 4 weeks in Brooklyn, 4.3 weeks in Queens, 5.2 weeks in Staten Island and 5.4 weeks in the Bronx. Waiting periods were found to have increased by one week on Staten Island and decreased by two weeks in Brooklyn, as compared to 2008. The wait time at the Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn was found to have increased by 9.5 weeks from 2008 and reported to be over four months. Only two facilities offered mammogram screening appointments on the same day.
Due to increased medical costs and inflation, the current Medicare reimbursement rate for mammogram screening does not cover the full cost of the procedure, thereby forcing health centers to absorb the remaining fees and lose money in the process. The current national average for a film mammogram is approximately $125, the Medicare reimbursement rate is $81.51. The current national average for a digital mammogram is approximately $175, whereas the corresponding Medicare reimbursement rate is $129.84. A report issued by Rep. Weiner in 2007 found that 67 clinics offering mammogram screening services were closed since 1999.
“When providers lose money performing mammograms, we all lose,” noted Rep. Maloney.
Under the current policy, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have reduced Medicare reimbursement rates by 4.8 percent since 2006.Their 2010 reimbursement rate is projected to fall to near $79 for film screening and $127 for digital screening. Since private insurance companies base their rates on Medicare, these decreases in reimbursement may have a cascading effect for all women needing mammogram screenings.
Rep. Weiner plans to introduce legislation to increase reimbursement rates in 2010 by 15 percent to $95 for film screenings and $150 for digital screenings, which is expected to provide some relief to financially challenged health facilities. Under this initiative, the rate would be indexed in subsequent years.
“Increasing access to mammograms clearly saves lives. Raising the reimbursement rate will ensure that women have increased options to protect their most important asset—their health,” said Rep. Weiner.
According to the study report, New York state has the second highest rate of breast cancer in the nation, with 14,000 new cases and 3,000 related deaths estimated in 2008.
Rep. Weiner’s staff contacted 33 randomly selected public and private health centers to inquire about the earliest appointment for a mammogram. Fourteen of these facilities listed a wait time of at least one month, which was also the citywide average.
“New Yorkers have the second highest rate of breast cancer in the country—but some of the longest waits for mammograms,” stated Rep. Maloney. “Early detection makes all the difference. If you catch breast cancer early, you have a greater chance of living. It’s that simple,” she added.
The range of wait times varied greatly among the boroughs, with waiting periods averaging 1.2 weeks in Manhattan, 4 weeks in Brooklyn, 4.3 weeks in Queens, 5.2 weeks in Staten Island and 5.4 weeks in the Bronx. Waiting periods were found to have increased by one week on Staten Island and decreased by two weeks in Brooklyn, as compared to 2008. The wait time at the Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn was found to have increased by 9.5 weeks from 2008 and reported to be over four months. Only two facilities offered mammogram screening appointments on the same day.
Due to increased medical costs and inflation, the current Medicare reimbursement rate for mammogram screening does not cover the full cost of the procedure, thereby forcing health centers to absorb the remaining fees and lose money in the process. The current national average for a film mammogram is approximately $125, the Medicare reimbursement rate is $81.51. The current national average for a digital mammogram is approximately $175, whereas the corresponding Medicare reimbursement rate is $129.84. A report issued by Rep. Weiner in 2007 found that 67 clinics offering mammogram screening services were closed since 1999.
“When providers lose money performing mammograms, we all lose,” noted Rep. Maloney.
Under the current policy, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have reduced Medicare reimbursement rates by 4.8 percent since 2006.Their 2010 reimbursement rate is projected to fall to near $79 for film screening and $127 for digital screening. Since private insurance companies base their rates on Medicare, these decreases in reimbursement may have a cascading effect for all women needing mammogram screenings.
Rep. Weiner plans to introduce legislation to increase reimbursement rates in 2010 by 15 percent to $95 for film screenings and $150 for digital screenings, which is expected to provide some relief to financially challenged health facilities. Under this initiative, the rate would be indexed in subsequent years.
“Increasing access to mammograms clearly saves lives. Raising the reimbursement rate will ensure that women have increased options to protect their most important asset—their health,” said Rep. Weiner.
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