Guest Post: Amy Sturm, MS, LGC, President, National Society of Genetic Counselors
Genetic and genomic innovation has made leaps and bounds to improve people’s health. As the technology has evolved, many delivery models have integrated genetic counselors into the healthcare team so that patients and their family members have access to them.
Indeed, the genetic counselor profession has grown rapidly and by year’s end, there will be well over 5,000 genetic counselors practicing across the country. This number should almost double in the next ten years to continue to meet the steady demand for our services. Most health plans reimburse genetic counselors and genetic counseling. In addition, delivery models are becoming even more diversified so that genetic counselors are available remotely to patients and other providers by phone and through telehealth.
Medicare Coverage and Reimbursement: A Challenge to Access
The one area that has held back access to genetic counselors is Medicare. Medicare currently covers and reimburses genetic counseling, as well as many genetic tests. However, Congress has not enacted legislation that would recognize genetic counselors as Medicare practitioners and because of this, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) does not reimburse genetic counselors. CMS currently reimburses physicians and nurse practitioners for providing genetic counseling.
Lack of access has been shown to result in patient harm, such as incorrect interpretation of genetic test results, failure to identify individuals with genetic risk, and inaccurate risk assessments leading to inappropriate medical management. Another reason that CMS should recognize genetic counselors is because we are also a great resource in ensuring the correct tests are ordered, which may lower Medicare spending.
H.R.3235 Would Recognize Genetic Counselors as Practitioners
But there is good news! Representatives Loebsack (D-IA) and Kelly (R-PA) have introduced H.R. 3235, the “Access to Genetic Counselor Services Act,” which would have CMS recognize genetic counselors as practitioners. NSGC appreciates and thanks ASHG for supporting this important legislation.
The passage of H.R. 3235 would reverse current Medicare policies that limit physician referrals to genetic counselor services. Today unfortunately, because of arcane Medicare “incident to” rules, referrals to genetic counselors are limited under Medicare. Physicians and other providers who do not work alongside a genetic counselor, but who may want to refer to genetic counselors for the delivery of genetic services to their patients, would first need to refer their patient to a physician that actually works with a genetic counselor. This is extremely inefficient and is prohibitive. Medicare beneficiary access to genetic counselors is therefore very limited.
We are working hard with groups like ASHG to put pressure on Congress to enact this important legislation. Medicare needs to modernize in many ways, and this is a perfect example of how Congress can improve the delivery of genetic services. If you’d like to support this effort, please visit: https://www.nsgc.org/p/cm/ld/fid=612