The Physician Fee Schedule Was Not Built for High-Cost Supplies and Equipment

As reimbursement from the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) continues to decline, cuts to practice expense relative value units disproportionately impact office-based interventionalists and private practices that rely on high-cost equipment. For 195 codes, specialties such as radiation oncology, vascular surgery, and interventional radiology are paid at rates less than their direct costs calculated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services itself. While reimbursement in the office-based setting continues to decline, high-cost hospital settings receive more payment for the same services. This disparity aligns with trends in care moving to the hospital setting and practice consolidation, resulting in increased costs to the healthcare system and decreased access to care. The current PFS is outdated, and the removal of high-cost supplies and equipment from the PFS is a critical step to reform.