Council on Radionuclides and Radiopharmaceuticals, Inc. Supports the Facilitating Innovative Nuclear Diagnostics (FIND) Act of 2023

WASHINGTON, March 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Council on Radionuclides and Radiopharmaceuticals, Inc. (CORAR), along with physicians and patient organizations, supports the introduction of H.R. 1199, the “Facilitating Innovative Nuclear Diagnostics (FIND) Act of 2023” by Congressmen Neal Dunn (R-FL), Scott Peters (D-CA), Greg Murphy (R-NC), and Terri Sewell (D-AL). The FIND Act will ensure that patients have access to precision diagnostic radiopharmaceutical (RP) drugs and promotes continued life-saving innovations in nuclear medicine.

According to the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI), more than 20 million Americans benefit each year from nuclear medicine procedures.¹ Diagnostic RP drugs are necessary for all nuclear medicine imaging studies to diagnose and determine the severity of diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, prostate, breast, and neuroendocrine cancers. Scientific advancements in diagnostic RP drugs are increasing precision in detecting disease and are informing better treatment options for patients.

However, the current Medicare reimbursement structure in the outpatient setting, which packages diagnostic RP drugs into nuclear medicine procedure payments, is flawed and creates a disincentive for hospitals to utilize precision diagnostic RP drugs with patients. The FIND Act, if passed, would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to institute a separate payment policy under the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) for diagnostic RP drugs brought to market after January 1, 2008 and that exceed a per day cost threshold of $500. This change will ensure that patients receive medically appropriate tests that provide the most accurate diagnosis and treatment plans.

“Current CMS payment methodology for radiopharmaceuticals averages both new innovations and older widely used drugs, resulting in taxpayers overpaying for the low-cost imaging drugs while significantly underpaying for more specialized drugs,” said Rep. Neal Dunn, MD. “The FIND Act addresses this discrepancy, ultimately improving access to imaging drugs that can efficiently and accurately diagnose conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, advanced cardiac disease, and prostate and other cancers.”

“Innovative diagnostic tools, like molecular imaging, are quickly changing the medical landscape, but patients ultimately suffer if providers can’t access these new technologies,” said Rep. Scott Peters. “Our bill, the FIND Act, represents a bipartisan, patient-first policy that will help more Americans access precise diagnostic imaging and make better informed personal health decisions.”

“Alzheimer’s disease, breast cancer, and prostate cancer have disproportionately impacted Black Americans and minority populations. We know management and treatment of these diseases can be improved with early detection. However, Medicare’s reimbursement structure restricts access to these innovative diagnostics for too many of the hospitals serving these populations,” said Rep. Terri Sewell. “Addressing healthcare disparities must include screening and early diagnosis. The FIND Act is a critical step towards addressing these long-standing disparities and improving health outcomes, particularly among our minority, economically fragile, and rural communities.”

“As a practicing surgeon, I know first-hand how essential accurate testing and imaging diagnostics are – not only when screening for disease but also for evaluating treatment efficiency or monitoring disease progression,” said Rep. Greg Murphy, MD. “By appropriately paying for newer radiopharmaceuticals, the FIND Act improves access to advanced technology by more closely aligning reimbursement with procedure cost.”

“Over the last 20 years, radiopharmaceutical manufacturers have collaborated with clinical researchers to develop next generation precision diagnostic radiopharmaceutical drugs which dramatically improve the diagnosis and treatment planning of disease. Passage of the FIND Act will help to ensure that all Medicare beneficiaries have access to these precision diagnostic radiopharmaceutical drugs by addressing a long-standing Medicare reimbursement flaw which currently limits patient access.” said Michael J. Guastella, Executive Director of CORAR.

About CORAR: The Council on Radionuclides and Radiopharmaceuticals, Inc. is a Washington, DC based trade association that is a leading voice of the radionuclide, radiopharmaceutical, and industrial radioisotope industries in North America. CORAR represents the major manufacturers and distributors of radiopharmaceuticals, radioactive sources and medical isotopes primarily used in the United States for therapeutic and diagnostic nuclear medical applications (referred to as nuclear medicine) and, in some cases, for industrial, environmental, and biomedical research and quality control. http://www.corar.org

Michael J. Guastella, MS, MBA
Executive Director
500 North Capitol Street, NW
Suite 210
Washington, DC 20001-7407
(202) 547-6582
Fax: (202) 547-4658
[email protected] 

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_{¹ Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, http://www.snmmi.org/ClinicalPractice/content.aspx?ItemNumber=4825}