From Stark law to prior authorization hurdles, gastroenterologist leaders see three major regulatory obstacles stifling industry growth and innovation.
Payer reimbursement
William Chey, MD, president-elect of American College of Gastroenterology and chief of the GI division at Ann Arbor-based Michigan Medicine, told Becker’s that payer reimbursement policies are significantly limiting the adoption of new technologies, particularly in the endoscopy suite.
“Providers are forced to work with payers individually for any reimbursement, and payers will often deem new technology as ’emerging’ or ‘experimental,'” he said “Then, they use it as rationale for denying coverage or providing an inadequate reimbursement for the practice’s expense and investment.”