RESTON, Va. - Urging House of Representatives Democrats that access to vital medical imaging needs to be protected, SNM signed a letter opposing certain provisions of Section 309 of the Children's Health and Medicare Protection (CHAMP) Act, which was passed by the House on Aug. 1.

"Access to medical imaging is already in jeopardy," said SNM President Alexander J. McEwan. "While the bill covers a host of significant health care areas and public policy concerns-and should be a top priority for Congress-SNM is concerned about the proposed cuts to medical imaging," said McEwan, who speaks for more than 16,000 members of the world's largest society for molecular imaging and nuclear medicine professionals.

The CHAMP Act reauthorizes the State Children's Health Insurance Program and provides health insurance coverage to millions of uninsured children. The letter, from members of the Access to Medical Imaging Coalition, registers opposition to particular provisions of Section 309, which direct the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services to cut imaging reimbursement.
Written to Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the House, the letter indicates that "additional CHAMP Act proposed cuts would also have a harsh impact on underserved populations who have little or no insurance or cannot afford to pay out of pocket for imaging services," said Peter S. Conti, chair of the society's Government Relations Committee.

"The cuts to imaging reimbursement are based on flawed data," explained Gary Dillehay, "and this has been acknowledged both by CMS and the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC)." Section 309 directs CMS to increase its assumption on the amount of time imaging equipment is used from 50 percent to 70 percent, said the chair of SNM's Coding and Reimbursement Committee. "The higher the utilization rate, the lower the unit of service costs will be. This is an integral component used in Medicare rate setting for imaging and will reduce payments," he added.

The bill also eliminates the scheduled 10 percent cut to the Medicare physician fee schedule and replaces it with modest (0.5 percent) annual sustainable growth rate (SGR) updates for two years, said Dillehay.

As a member of AMIC, SNM collaborates with more than 75,000 patients, physicians and medical providers throughout the United States in fighting cuts to medical imaging services. SNM joined AMIC soon after Congress passed the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 to fight the reduced level of funding for medical imaging services provided in independent imaging facilities and physician offices. Conti noted that since its enactment this past January, the Deficit Reduction Act has cut medical imaging by $13 billion, "and some life-saving procedures were cut by 60 percent."

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