The American College of Radiology (ACR) said it strongly supports the proposed Excellence in Diagnostic Imaging Utilization Act of 2013.
Introduced recently by Reps. Erik Paulsen (R-MN) and Jim Matheson (D-UT), HR 3705 would require ordering physicians to consult physician-developed appropriateness criteria when ordering advanced diagnostic imaging studies for Medicare patients, according to ACR. The bill would require the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to specify appropriateness criteria from among those developed/endorsed by national professional medical specialty societies such as ACR.
While not being given the power to create such guidelines, the secretary would be directed to identify mechanisms, such as clinical decision-support tools, by which ordering professionals could consult these criteria, ACR said.
The bipartisan bill is separate from and in addition to similar appropriateness criteria policy included in the SGR Repeal and Medicare Beneficiary Access Improvement Act of 2013, which is currently being debated in the House and Senate. ACR expects that Congress will consider these bills in early 2014.
