In This Section
FIND Act Update
January 5, 2023
As you may know, the Facilitating Innovative Nuclear Diagnostics (FIND) Act was reintroduced last Congress by Representatives Neal Dunn (R-FL) and Scott Peters (D-CA) in the U.S. House of Representatives and garnered the support of 41 bipartisan cosponsors. There was also a Senate Companion bill reintroduced by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) with 5 cosponsors signing-on in support.
The FIND Act would unbundle payments for radiopharmaceuticals and procedures to ensure proper coverage for patients. Under the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003, radiopharmaceuticals were classified as stand-alone “drugs” and paid separately from the nuclear medicine procedure; however, in 2008, CMS interpreted the MMA as expired and began bundling payments into Ambulatory Classifications (APCs). The current bundled payment fails to adequately cover the costs for both the procedure and diagnostic radiopharmaceutical impeding patients access to care.
Although the bill did not pass this Congress, SNMMI and the FIND Act Coalition made great strides securing support for the legislation and educating Members of Congress and their staff —
- More than 100 meetings were held with Congressional Offices
- A Capitol Hill briefing on the bill was attended by 50 Hill staff
- 85 patient advocacy and related healthcare organizations signed-on in support of the bill
Notably, the recently passed 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act included report language that directs CMS to review the bundled payment policy for diagnostic imaging services in the hospital outpatient setting related to Alzheimer’s drugs.
We want to thank each of you for your efforts this year to raise awareness around this legislation—whether that was through a meeting with your Member of Congress and their staff, joining a letter writing campaign, or directly calling the Member’s office to voice your support. We sincerely appreciate your contribution.
SNMMI continues to engage with our coalition partners to strategize around getting this bill across the finish line and signed into law. Plans are underway to reintroduce the FIND Act in the 118th Congress with a firm foundation of support. Last year’s cosponsors have already agreed to reintroduce the legislation and we will continue to keep you all updated. Thank you again for your support.