The Sharp Reductions in Medicare Payments for Noninvasive Diagnostic Imaging in Recent Years: Will They Satisfy the Federal Policymakers?

After years of rapid growth in Medicare NDI payments, an abrupt reversal occurred starting in 2007. By 2010, overall NDI costs to Medicare Part B were down 21% compared with their 2006 peak. It is unclear whether this large payment reduction will satisfy federal policymakers.