Dear AuntMinnie Member,
Radiology administrators have major reservations about whether they will receive adequate Medicare reimbursement in the third quarter of 2013, according to the latest numbers from the Medical Imaging Confidence Index (MICI).
The MICI survey tracks the sentiments of a panel of U.S. radiology administrators on five major topics concerning radiology operations. Administrators who participate in the survey offer opinions on issues ranging from personnel requirements to access to capital and information technology.
For the Q3 numbers, receiving adequate Medicare payment was at the bottom of the list, echoing findings in past surveys and reflecting the uncertain reimbursement environment. Administrators were most optimistic that their internal operating and staff costs would remain constant.
The Q3 MICI numbers are the topic of a Google Hangout between me and Ed Cronin, CEO of AHRA, and Christian Renaudin, CEO and founder of the MarkeTech Group, the two entities that produce the index. Get more details and watch the video by clicking here, or go to leaders.auntminnie.com.
Breast MRI: Effective, but worth the cost?
In other news, a new study by Dutch researchers published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute offers an analysis of the effectiveness of breast MRI in women who are younger than 50 and who have a family history of breast cancer.
Screening with conventional mammography is indicated in high-risk women before the age of 50, and some guidelines call for the use of breast MRI as well. The researchers wanted to assess both the clinical and economic effectiveness of breast MRI in women with a family history of breast cancer but no genetic risk.
They found that while breast MRI detected additional cancers and would reduce breast cancer mortality, the reduction came at a high economic price. Find out how much by clicking here.
