HCFA issues rule for mammography screening

Article

Manufacturers of high-end mammography systems may benefit froma federal rule setting standards for equipment to be used in screeningmammography reimbursed by Medicare. The Health Care FinancingAdministration (HCFA) rule issued earlier this month lists

Manufacturers of high-end mammography systems may benefit froma federal rule setting standards for equipment to be used in screeningmammography reimbursed by Medicare. The Health Care FinancingAdministration (HCFA) rule issued earlier this month lists equipmentrequirements that match those of the American College of Radiology(ACR) mammography accreditation program. The ACR program was establishedin 1987.

Stringent standards could boost sales for vendors as serviceproviders scramble to upgrade their equipment.

"There are people doing mammography who are not at theforefront of technology," said Robert Coe, vice presidentof engineering at Bennett X-Ray, a mammography manufacturer (SCAN12/26/90). "Better equipment means earlier diagnosis, filmsthat are easier to read, and less chance of error." Bennettoffers a written guarantee that its mammography equipment willmeet ACR accreditation standards, he said.

The new federal rule also limits Medicare payments for thescreening examinations to physicians certified by the AmericanBoard of Radiology, the American Osteopathic Board of Radiology,or an appropriate program as determined by the secretary of theDepartment of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

The rule is only an interim measure. HCFA will accept commentsuntil March 1, before final regulations are issued. The ACR isstudying the rule and may recommend further tightening of thequality requirements.

The Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 mandated that criteriabe established defining who can perform the Medicare exams andwhat equipment can be used in a screening mammography program.The legislation caps federal payment for each exam at $55.

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) supportedthe legislation. "We thought it was a good idea to providethese monies for people over 65 years old," said Robert Britain,manager of the NEMA diagnostic imaging and therapy systems division.NEMA has not yet formulated a position on what standards shouldbe applied to equipment used in screening exams.

Association members will meet in February to discuss that topic,particularly in regard to federal legislation now on Capitol Hillthat would further define the quality standards for mammographyequipment and its operation.

The proposal authorizes the DHHS to establish minimum qualityassurance procedures for mammography screening and requires theuse of dedicated mammography equipment for the examinations. Thelegislation would also establish specific training standards forthose who conduct and interpret mammography examinations. It wasintroduced last year by Sens. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and BrockAdams (D-WA), and resurrected in the current session.

Recent Videos
Study: MRI-Based AI Enhances Detection of Seminal Vesicle Invasion in Prostate Cancer
What New Research Reveals About the Impact of AI and DBT Screening: An Interview with Manisha Bahl, MD
Can AI Assessment of Longitudinal MRI Scans Improve Prediction for Pediatric Glioma Recurrence?
A Closer Look at MRI-Guided Adaptive Radiotherapy for Monitoring and Treating Glioblastomas
Incorporating CT Colonography into Radiology Practice
What New Research Reveals About Computed Tomography and Radiation-Induced Cancer Risk
What New Interventional Radiology Research Reveals About Treatment for Breast Cancer Liver Metastases
New Mammography Studies Assess Image-Based AI Risk Models and Breast Arterial Calcification Detection
Can Deep Learning Provide a CT-Less Alternative for Attenuation Compensation with SPECT MPI?
Employing AI in Detecting Subdural Hematomas on Head CTs: An Interview with Jeremy Heit, MD, PhD
Related Content
© 2025 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.