Sample Comments about the Potential Impact of Health Care Policy Changes on the Use of Point-of-Care Testing
| Response Group | Sample Comments |
|---|---|
| Believe that policy changes will increase POCT use | “Yes, if there are recommendations to use these tests by established, evidence-based guidelines, they will be used.” |
| “Yes, as family medicine becomes more important in the health care arena, we will need more tests to care for the total person and to refer appropriately.” | |
| “Yes, with patient-centered medical home.” | |
| “Yes, with more patients eligible for primary care, there will be more problems to diagnose and POCT will be an important tool for the primary care doctors to care for patients efficiently and at lower cost.” | |
| Believe that policy changes will decrease POCT use | “I believe that the government will severely limit what can be done via POCT.” |
| “Yes. Less reimbursement or approval. Need for prior authorization.” | |
| “I think POCT will be more limited due to cost.” | |
| “Yes, I think that CMS will begin to regulate quality control of these tests.” | |
| Believe that policy changes will have a mixed effect on POCT use | “Yes. We need to be paid for doing the tests to make it worth the time and training hassle. The amount needs to reflect the added patient convenience of not having to do the lab.” |
CMS, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; POCT, point-of-care testing.