White House Proposes Hospital-Doctor Imaging Payment Parity

The White House proposed a rule to cut hospital payments for routine imaging services (X-rays, ultrasounds, MRIs) to level with what doctor’s offices are paid, aiming to save about $9.5 billion for the Medicare trust fund over a decade (the CBO estimates about $7.6 billion in savings). The rule would apply to most scans except contrast-enhanced procedures, would take effect January 1, and is open to public comment before finalization. Proponents say site-neutral payments curb healthcare spending, while hospitals argue they cover more complex patients and higher overhead. This continues prior site-neutral efforts, including recent moves on off-campus drug administration.