A total of 202 bipartisan co-sponsors have demonstrated support for H.R. 3269, the Diagnostic Imaging Services Access Protection Act, according to the American College of Radiology. H.R. 3269 would repeal the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services-mandated payment reduction to the professional component of Medicare reimbursement for multiple diagnostic imaging services administered by the same physician, to the same patient, at the same session.
The Access to Medical Imaging Coalition, American College of Radiology and the Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance have protested the Obama Administration’s proposed budget for 2013, which contains imaging cuts projected to save $820 million over 10 years. The groups argued that the cuts would restrict access to imaging, raise costs and impact manufacturing jobs.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has informed the American College of Radiology that “operational limitations” will prevent them from applying the imaging professional component Multiple Procedure Payment Reduction (MPPR) to group practices beginning Jan. 1, 2012. Therefore, CMS will not apply the professional component MPPR for imaging services performed by separate physicians in the same group practice for 2012.
The American College of Radiology (ACR) has joined the ABIM Foundation and eight other medical specialty societies in the Choosing Wisely campaign. Choosing Wisely promotes wise choices by physicians and patients to improve health outcomes, avoid unnecessary interventions and make efficient use of healthcare dollars.
While the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), in response to American College of Radiology (ACR) data, and a furious reaction from the imaging community, revised the multiple procedure payment reduction for interpretation of imaging from 50 percent to 25 percent, the 25 percent cut is still "unfounded and potentially dangerous," the ACR maintained in a Nov. 3 statement. The unanticipated final rule expansion of this reduction to include multiple providers within the same group practice violates the spirit of the rulemaking process and indicates that CMS fundamentally misunderstands the practice of medicine, according to the ACR.
Reps. Pete Olson (R-Texas) and Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) introduced H.R. 3269 in the U.S. House of Representatives on Oct. 27. Co-sponsored by 31 House Members, the Diagnostic Imaging Services Protection Act would prohibit any multiple procedure payment reduction to the “professional component” of CT, MRI and ultrasound exams received by the same patient, on the same day, in the same setting in 2012.
The American College of Radiology (ACR) has announced the Radiology Leadership Institute (RLI), a professional development and leadership academy,,will offer its first courses in 2012.
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