Dear AuntMinnie Member,
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. That pretty much sums up the impact of new Medicare reimbursement rates, which have some sectors of the healthcare industry cheering while others are down in the dumps.
First the bad news -- the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has said it will implement a 90% equipment utilization rate in its Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for 2010. That's up from the current rate of 50%, and the change could lead to drastic cuts in reimbursement for medical imaging procedures.
Now the good news. The 90% rate could be thrown out the window with the passage of either of the current versions of healthcare reform currently in Congress -- one bill sets the rate at 75%, while the other would put it at 65%. Get up to speed on the changes by clicking here.
What's more, CMS largely granted a reprieve to the radiation oncology sector, which had been slated for a 19% payment cut on January 1. Instead, CMS will cut radiation therapy payments at a far more gradual rate of 5% phased in over four years. Click here for that story.
Even virtual colonoscopy advocates -- so recently snubbed by CMS in their efforts to get screening payments approved -- have something to cheer about, as they were spared any major cuts for use of VC for diagnostic applications. Click here to learn more.
Reports from ASTRO
We're also featuring reports from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) this week, where associate editor Cynthia E. Keen reports for our Radiation Oncology Digital Community that the mood among attendees is buoyant in the wake of the CMS announcement.
In clinical news at the meeting, a major topic is the presentation of research from an international prospective multicenter study that's being touted as the first major advance in the management of melanoma in the past 15 years. Find out what it is by clicking here.
In other news, learn about the effectiveness of a specialized radiation therapy technique for breast cancer by clicking here, and read about a technique for prophylactic radiation therapy to prevent brain metastases by clicking here.
Continue to check in with the Radiation Oncology Digital Community at radiation.auntminnie.com for more coverage of this year's ASTRO conference.
Road to RSNA 2009
Finally, we're pleased to announce the launch of our annual preview of the RSNA conference, Road to RSNA 2009. This year we're focusing on scientific sessions, poster presentations, and educational exhibits, giving you the most comprehensive preview of radiology's showcase conference available anywhere.
Our first two Road to RSNA 2009 sections cover PACS and molecular imaging. You'll find our PACS preview by clicking here, while the hottest papers in molecular imaging are available by clicking here. We'll be rolling out additional sections on a daily basis in the weeks to come.
