Medicare reimburses for x-ray services to be provided bedside to nursing home residents and homebound seniors. However, when it comes to portable ultrasound, providers are left without reimbursement for the very same transportation and setup costs. It's an outdated inconsistency that is limiting patient access to critical diagnostic services, and Congress can fix it. 

The problem: Portable ultrasound services are delivered the same way as portable x-rays, yet under current Medicare policy, portable ultrasound providers are not reimbursed for transportation, and setup costs the way portable x-ray providers are. This payment gap has persisted for years under an outdated reimbursement framework that fails to reflect the true cost of delivering these services to the patients who need them most. 

Why this matters: 

• Frail and homebound seniors losing access to bedside ultrasound services they cannot easily replace 
• Delayed diagnosis of serious, time-sensitive conditions like blood clots and heart failure 
• Increased unnecessary hospitalizations and emergency room visits when bedside diagnostics are unavailable 
• A growing disparity in access to diagnostic services for nursing home residents and rural patients compared to those who can travel to traditional imaging facilities 

The solution: H.R. 2477/S. 1168, The Portable Ultrasound Reimbursement Equity (PURE) Act would fix this by ensuring portable ultrasound procedures are reimbursed under the same framework as portable x-rays, including transportation and setup costs.  

This is a commonsense, bipartisan fix that helps patients, reduces costs, and modernizes Medicare. Tell Congress to pass it now!