National insurer targets outpatient imaging centers

The American College of Radiology has seen regional victories related to its campaign to have insurers enact methods to guarantee quality and appropriateness. In January, the UnitedHealth Group, which serves 70 million individuals nationwide, announced it wants outpatient imaging facilities in all 50 states to be accredited by next March.

UnitedHealth's accreditation program targets freestanding outpatient facilities and physician offices that perform CT and CT angiography, MRI and MR angiography, nuclear medicine, nuclear cardiology, PET, and echocardiography services.

"While it's a move in the right direction, payers should also ensure that patients receive the appropriate exam and that the exam is not the result of inappropriate self-referral," said Dr. Alan Kaye, a member of the ACR steering committee.