Dear AuntMinnie Member,
It seems hard to believe, but the U.S. government is once again proposing major cuts to radiology reimbursement in the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced the proposed cuts this month, when it released its proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for 2021. The changes include an 11% cut in the conversion factor for diagnostic radiology payments, as well as a 9% decrease for interventional radiology. Nuclear medicine and radiation oncology services are also being targeted for cuts. Learn more in an article by our content partner Healthcare Administrative Partners.
The proposal is somewhat baffling, as most recent studies have documented a decline in Medicare payments for advanced imaging services, as calculated on a per-beneficiary basis. The radiology community has been organizing to stop the cuts -- let's hope they are successful.
CT after hours
How accurate are radiology interpretations delivered after hours? Maybe not as on-target as we might hope, at least according to a new study.
Researchers from Arizona examined CT interpretations by time of day to see whether off-hours reads really were less accurate. They found that error rates were indeed higher on the night shift -- and what's more, the rates were higher not only for residents but also for attending physicians.
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to dominate the headlines -- and radiology is playing its part in fighting the outbreak. One of our most popular stories from the past week detailed how 3D models can be used to assess lung damage from COVID-19. And researchers from Turkey found that MRI could be a good alternative to CT for diagnosing patients with COVID-19.
Fall Virtual Conference
We also announced this past week that we are reprising our successful spring virtual conference with a new online event to take place September 22-23. We've assembled a stellar lineup of speakers for "AI, Enterprising Imaging & Beyond," with a targeted focus on artificial intelligence and image management in the healthcare enterprise. Check it out in our special Conferences section, where you can also view the presentations from our spring event.
