Proposed Certificate of Need Effort in Michigan Defeated

Urologists Mobilized to Defeat Threat to Independent Practices

Chicago, IL, March 27, 2018 – In the wake of a successful coordinated effort by LUGPA and its Michigan-based member practices and in conjunction with other health care providers to defeat a proposed Certificate of Need requirement for Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT) services, LUGPA released the following statement. It may be attributed to Neal D. Shore, MD, FACS, president of LUGPA, the leading voice for urologists in independent practice:

Today, after a rapid mobilization of LUGPA and its Michigan-based member practices, the Michigan Certificate of Need Commission declined to broaden the definition of BMT services to include treatments for other diseases. LUGPA and allied stakeholders successfully argued the proposed changes were too sweeping in scope and risked inclusion of services that would have put prostate cancer patient access in jeopardy while increasing costs. Specifically, the expanded definition risked including cellular infusion services without assessment of needs or the development of quality standards. From a urologic standpoint, LUGPA was particularly concerned about the potential risk to patients with advanced prostate cancer, the majority of whom receive safe and effective treatment in their communities by physicians that, in many cases, have been their caregivers for years.

LUGPA is committed to preserving the rights of patients to seek high quality urology services at the site of service of their choosing; while these efforts most often address national health policy issues, LUGPA is committed to providing resources to its member practices when state-specific issues arise.  LUGPA practices are an important component of urologic care in the State of Michigan: the most recent data shows that more than one hundred urologists in Michigan practice in a LUGPA member group and provide nearly 45 percent of urologic services in the state.[1]

Our efforts in Michigan are an example of LUGPA’s growing willingness to engage on issues across the country that affect access to care for patients served by independent urologists. Together with our state partners and like-minded groups, LUGPA will continue to advocate when necessary to preserve patient access to important urologic services.

About LUGPA
LUGPA is a trade Association that represents independent urology group practices in the U.S., with more than 2,300 physicians who make up more than 25 percent of the nation’s practicing urologists, and provide more than 30 percent of the total urologic care in the U.S. The Association is committed to providing the best resources and information for its member practices through advocacy, research, data collection and benchmarking efforts. LUGPA advocates for independent urology practices by promoting quality clinical outcomes, fostering new opportunities and improving advocacy in the legislative and regulatory arenas. For more information, visit lugpa.org.

[1] Extracted from Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data: Physician and Other Supplier.  Accessed at: https://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Statistics-Trends-and-Reports/Medicare-Provider-Charge-Data/Physician-and-Other-Supplier.html