Facility Management

Nearly 90% of the outpatient imaging procedures earmarked for cuts under the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 would be reimbursed at rates lower than the estimated costs of performing the procedure, according to a study conducted by The Moran Company.

Hard though it is to believe, there is another issue facing outpatient imaging centers besides the Deficit Reduction Act, information technology, and turf wars. It’s the multimodality revolution, which encompasses plain film x-ray, ultrasound, and yes, even mammography.

By pinpointing the motor and language areas of the brain with functional MRI, surgeons can target brain tumors more effectively, while reducing the risk of damaging important cognitive and motor processes, according to a study in the September issue of Radiology.

It’s bad enough that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has proposed a $300 reduction for PET reimbursement. But the agency also wants to reimburse PET/CT at the same rate. The move has alarmed the PET community, as an increasing number of providers are purchasing the combined scanner at twice the cost of a dedicated PET machine.

Practitioners consider Europe in the quest for better quality

Organized coalition of imagers targets flimsy rationale behind Deficit Reduction Act

Continuing hurricane fallout includes revenues lost, rising imaging volumes, and an influx of uninsured patients

The clinical case for using 64-slice scanners to perform CT angiography is strong. The newest high-slice machines can get results that would have been difficult or impossible to achieve with 16-slice scanners.

Imulux, a pioneer in optical coherence tomography, showcased its FDA-cleared technology, Niris, at the World Congress of Endourology in Cleveland last week. Unlike other optical imaging tools that focus on the breast or brain, Niris renders images of the prostate. The system achieves a spatial resolution of 0.01 mm, which is well beyond the reach of diagnostic ultrasound.

A new government report claims access to mammography services is adequate nationwide, though troubling barriers persist in some parts of the country, particularly rural areas. But a representative from the American College of Radiology says the report is actually a wake-up call about the potential for a crisis in access unless action is taken to boost the supply of mammography personnel.

Fears of a death spiral in procedure reimbursement for outpatient imaging clinics eased a bit last week with the decision by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services not to impose an additional 25% reduction in fees starting next year on technical payment for certain multiple imaging procedures. CMS, which sets policy for Medicare, imposed this year a 25% reduction in reimbursement for the second and subsequent images of contiguous body parts when taken in a single session. An additional 25% reduction (totaling 50%) was set to happen in 2007.

The National Oncologic PET Registry has warned PET providers that paying referring physicians to participate in its program may violate federal and state anti-kickback laws.

Only yesterday, PET was the talk of the town, and outpatient centers were clamoring to get their hands on it. I remember that day vividly and can recall the resources needed to get an outpatient PET center off the ground.

In the first study in its kind, Japanese researchers have shown that MR imaging before and after contrast medium injection provides an accurate evaluation of articular cartilage repair. The technique could become an effective way to monitor treatment in this setting.

Agfa cracks Chinese PACS marketXR markers take path less traveledImaging center reopens with MR upgradesAmicas lands GPO dealNeurostar names CFO

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has decided not to impose an additional 25% reduction next year on technical payment for certain multiple imaging procedures. But physician reimbursement will be cut across-the-board by more than 5%, according to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule for 2007 published yesterday in the Federal Register.

The prospects for reimbursement of coronary CT angiography procedures improved dramatically in 2006. About 75% of the country sees some Medicare reimbursement for the procedure, and experts predict that nationwide reimbursement will emerge by 2008 at the latest.

Demand drops for low-field scanners follows measures introduced to preserve MR quality

Efforts from clinical imaging advocates to delay rather than thwart the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 were rewarded in the Senate Thursday with the introduction of a bill calling for a two-year moratorium. The piece mirrors legislation introduced in June by the House of Representatives asking the Government Accountability Office to analyze the impact of Medicare reimbursement cuts.

The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 has created quite a stir in medical imaging. If the current provisions remain intact, outpatient imaging providers could see a 45% reduction in Medicare reimbursement next year.

MR spectroscopy imaging is highly accurate for early detection of prostate cancer in asymptomatic patients, with 87% sensitivity and 93% specificity, according to new research from Spain.

By combining microcoils with the injection of a foaming agent, U.S. interventional radiologists hope to treat testicular atrophy in young boys, reverse infertility in some men, and relieve a potentially disabling condition in women.

Complications in children's interventions cost hundreds of millions of dollars each year

Most 3T MR systems are sold to university hospitals and research facilities, and relatively few go to private practices.