ACR Webinar on Medicare Health Plan Choices

Stop Drastic Medicare E/M Changes

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the calendar year (CY) 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) final rule on Dec. 1. The ACR is very disappointed in the CMS’ decision to implement the evaluation and management (E/M) policy, which will result in significant reimbursement cuts to radiology.

With the legislative calendar waning, ACR members must contact their Senators today to urge Congressional action to mitigate the negative impact of the finalized E/M policy before the end of the year.

Tell your senators today to stop the CMS from implementing these cuts.

ACR Opposes Medicare Pay Cuts, Asks for Your Help

The Radiology Advocacy Network is calling on members to get involved in opposing the proposed 11% Medicare pay cut in radiology set to be implemented Jan. 1.

Use the link below to quickly and easily notify your Congressional Representative.

Act Now to Halt Impending Medicare Cuts.

ACR, Others Back Bill to Delay Medicare Cuts During Pandemic

The ACR and 73 other medical groups support the prevention of planned Medicare reimbursement cuts for radiologists and other specialties by offering temporary additional payments to health providers for two years, and urged Congress to approve the bill. “Any Medicare payment cuts can only worsen the financial instability of healthcare provider practices already reeling from the pandemic and limit patient access to potentially lifesaving care,” ACR Board of Chancellors Chair Dr. Howard Fleishon said in a statement.

ACR Announces Virtual 2021 Meeting

The ACR Council Steering Committee has decided to hold the ACR 2021 Annual Meeting  virtually May 15-19, 2021. The virtual meeting will include governance essentials, as well as educational programming and networking opportunities.  Learn more.

RAD-AID Virtual Conference Features MORADS Member

RAD-AID conference on  international radiology and global health will be held virtually November 7 – 8, 2020.

RAD-AID International is a global health organization, founded in 2008, bringing radiology and medical imaging technologies, equipment, education, and clinical support to low-resource hospitals in medically underserved regions.

MORADS member, Carlin Ridpath, will be the moderator for the workshop “Progressive Work in Nepal.”

For further information and to register see here.

Legal Update

HHS delays major data sharing deadline due to pandemic

By Mohana Ravindranath

10/29/2020 12:05 PM EDT

Health care providers, IT developers and health information exchanges will now have more time to comply with a federal rule aimed at removing hurdles for transmitting patient data, HHS said on Thursday.

The department’s National Coordinator for Health IT extended the compliance deadline for information blocking until April 5, 2021. Providers were facing a Monday deadline to comply. That deadline had been extended six months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

While there’s “strong support” for the measure, health care organizations “also must manage the needs being experienced during the current pandemic,” Don Rucker, national coordinator for health IT, said in a statement. He emphasized that the department was only allowing more time for compliance and wasn’t removing any requirements.

The deadlines for meeting health IT certification standards and for adopting standards for allowing patient data to flow into apps were also extended until Dec. 31, 2022, among other delays.

The background: HHS’ data sharing measures stem from the 21st Century Cures Act, a sweeping health law that banned health organizations from interfering with the transfer of patient data and clinical notes. ONC released a final rule in March outlining certain exceptions, including instances in which sharing data leads to patient harm.

Several health care provider groups had called for the extension in the weeks leading up to the Nov. 2 deadline, warning that the technical requirements would take focus and resources away from patient care during a pandemic; some patient advocates worried that delaying compliance would make it harder for them to access their own data during a public health crisis.

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Radiologist Helps Pass Breast Screening Law

According to Radiology SmartBrief:

“Dr. Amy Patel, medical director of women’s imaging at Missouri-based Liberty Hospital and chair of the ACR Young and Early Career Professional Section, played a key role in her home state passing a law in August requiring coverage of breast exams for higher-risk women ages 25 to 29, along with twice-yearly screenings from age 30. Missouri “is among a growing number of states that have acted to make sure that women have covered access to this care,” says Shawn Farley, public affairs director for the ACR.”

From the Kansas City Star:

Here’s what this ‘radvocate’ wants women to know about breasts and a new Missouri law.

MORADS Fall Legal Presentation

Download the legal presentation produced by MORADS attorney Harvey M. Tettlebaum from our virtual fall meeting October 10, 2020.

FALL MEETING TO BE HELD VIRTUALLY

Our fall meeting on Saturday, October 10, 2020 will be in a virtual format.  Please look for access information in upcoming emails.