Health Imaging & IT - January 2008 - (Page 8)

NEWS UPDATE Government Watch Proposed bill calls for reversal of imaging cuts in Medicare reimbursement Congress has called for the reversal of drastic cuts in Medicare reimbursement for dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. The bill, H.R. 4206 “Medicare Fracture Prevention and Osteoporosis Testing Act of 2007,” is sponsored by Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., and supported by 41 original co-sponsors. The legislation seeks to improve access to, and increase utilization of bone mass measurement benefits under the Medicare Part B Program, according to Berkley. The bill has currently been referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Ways and Means, which will determine whether it should be put before legislation for a vote. Agency News ACR responds to OIG report on imaging reimbursement An Office of Inspector General (OIG) report on the nature and extent of utilization and spending for advanced imaging services paid under Medicare said that charges for advanced imaging grew significantly between 1995 and 2005. The American College of Radiology said that while the data from the OIG indicates that diagnostic radiology accounts for the majority of advanced imaging billings, its share of total billings shrank dramatically between 1995 and 2005. Bush vetoes SCHIP again, reform pushed to 2009 After President Bush vetoed a redrafted version of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) bill for a second time, congressional Democrats postponed the expansion of the bill until 2009. The latest SCHIP version sought to expand government healthcare coverage to $35 billion over five years by adding six million to the current four million covered. The Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 replaces the scheduled physician pay cut with a 0.5 percent update for the first six months of 2008, ensuring that Congress must address another sustainable growth rate (SGR) cut starting July 1, 2008, but will extend funding for SCHIP through 2009. The American College of Radiology said that any legislation delaying the overall physician SGR cut not be paid for by additional cuts to medical imaging. CMS delays prohibition of physician self-referrals CMS has officially delayed implementing the Stark III prohibitions of physician self-referrals for one year. One exception to the postponement is a rule that prohibits markups by the physician or supplier on the technical or professional components of diagnostic tests when tests are performed outside of their offices. ONCHIT begins HIT project The National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONCHIT) has named two groups to create consensus-based definitions and context of use for five key HIT terms—EHR, EMR, PHR, RHIO and HIE—removing barriers of healthcare IT adoption. House and Senate reviewing e-prescription mandate bill The U.S. House and Senate are weighing bi-partisan legislation that would mandate e-prescriptions under the Medicare program starting Jan. 1, 2011. The bill authorizes a one-time Medicare payment to e-prescribing physicians of $2,000 in 2008 or 2009; $1,500 in 2010 or 2011; and $1,000 in subsequent years. The bill also would authorize a 1 percent bonus payment for e-prescription claims. The fee schedule would be reduced by 10 percent for Medicare claims submitted on or after Jan. 1, 2011. 8 Health Imaging & IT | January 2008 FCC to spend $400M on NHIN broadband expansion Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Kevin Martin plans to spend more than $400 million over three years to build broadband networks to connect healthcare providers with others in their states or regions and with the National Health Information Network (NHIN). Martin said the expanded networks can be used as platforms to support other IT initiatives, such as EHRs and RHIOs. The program will enable the creation of broadband telehealth networks in 42 states and three U.S. territories. FDA, Duke to revamp trials Duke University Medical Center will host a partnership with the FDA, including representation from government, industry and academia, to modernize and improve the way clinical trials are conducted. They hope to develop new standards and identify new methods to improve safety, boost the quality of information derived from clinical trials. STAY CONNECTED: For daily news, log onto HealthImaging.com HealthImaging.com http://HealthImaging.com http://HealthImaging.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Health Imaging & IT - January 2008

Health Imaging & IT Table of Contents On the Web The Enterprise: Is More Better? News Update A Look Inside Next-Generation Multidetector CT Convention Spotlight: RSNA in Review RIS/PACS in the Imaging Center Sweden: A Study in Mammography Excellence The Votes are in: Yea for Speech in U.S. Capital & Beyond Subspecialty Reading Services: Quality Reads, Peace of Mind, 24/7 Enterprise Lung CAD Eases Workflow Advertisers Index Company Index Coming Soon Stat Sheet

Health Imaging & IT - January 2008

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