News & Advocacy

Take Action to Improve Access to Bone Scans

posted: July 12, 2021

Over the past decade, Medicare reimbursement for osteoporosis screening has greatly declined from $140 in 2006 to $42 in 2018. As a result of reduced screening due to declining reimbursements, it is estimated that more than 40,000 additional hip fractures occur each year, resulting in nearly 10,000 additional hip-fracture deaths. In addition, the National Osteoporosis Foundation has found that declining reimbursement rates have created a 26 percent decline in physicians performing DXA tests since 2008, resulting in a corresponding 22 percent decline in diagnoses since 2009.

Recently introduced bipartisan legislation restores Medicare Part B reimbursement for bone mass measurement using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) services to 70 percent of 2006 levels.

The Fracture Prevention Coalition has deployed an Action Alert that allows you to QUICKLY email your elected officials with a message urging them to co-sponsor this critical legislation.