View Single Post
  #53   ^
Old Wed, Jun-10-09, 12:56
Demi's Avatar
Demi Demi is offline
Posts: 26,664
 
Plan: Muscle Centric
Stats: 238/153/160 Female 5'10"
BF:
Progress: 109%
Location: UK
Default

Have just received this in an email from Dr Cannell of the Vitamin D Council:


Quote:
Dear Readers:

Medicare is up to it again, again trying to put dangerous restrictions on Vitamin D testing. Although the proposed guidelines for reimbursement are not as restrictive as Medicare's recent proposal, this proposal is restrictive none the less and, within a few months, will be adopted by your insurance company and every major insurance company in the country. Here is Medicare's new proposal:

http://www.highmarkmedicareservices...ab/dl30273.html

Measurement of vitamin D levels would only be indicated for patients with:
  • chronic kidney disease stage III or greater
  • cancer
  • cirrhosis
  • diabetes
  • fibromyalgia
  • granuloma forming diseases
  • hypocalcemia
  • hypercalcemia
  • hypovitaminosis D
  • long term use of anticonvulsants or glucocorticoids
  • malabsorption states
  • obstructive jaundice
  • osteoporosis (unresponsive to therapy)
  • osteomalacia
  • osteosclerosis
  • psoriasis
  • rickets
  • vitamin D deficiency on replacement therapy; to monitor the efficacy of treatment

It would forbid screening, the most important use of the test. That is, hypovitaminosis D is covered but your doctor can't order the test to find out if you suffer from low Vitamin D in the first place.

You can send your comments via the Internet using the link below. For using the link below for your comments, this proposal's LCD number is DL30273. The name of the proposal is "Vitamin D Assay Testing."

http://www.highmarkmedicareservices...m-comments.html

If you'd rather send a letter, which is better, sent it to:

Ms. Anna Gene Risoldi
Senior Research Analyst
Highmark Medicare Services
1800 Center Street, 1AL3
Camp Hill, PA 17089

May I also ask that you send an email with your comments to Dr. Daniel B. Kimball, Jr., (drdankimball~gmail.com). He's on the AMA board that reviews this policy.

John Cannell, MD

The Vitamin D Council
585 Leff Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Reply With Quote