On the International Day of Radiology, the American College of Radiology (ACR) is urging Congress to pass the Diagnostic Imaging Services Access Protection Act (HR 3269/S 2347), legislation that would protect imaging from further Medicare cuts.
November 8, 2012, marks the 117th anniversary of the discovery of the x-ray and the advances in patient care made possible by radiation therapy and medical imaging exams such as MRI and CT scans, ACR said. Yet approximately $5 billion in Medicare imaging cuts since 2006 are affecting patient care, as repeated funding reductions are forcing many imaging providers to cut back services or close, according to Dr. Paul Ellenbogen, chair of the ACR's Board of Chancellors.
"Congress needs to act now to stop the damage to patient care that the arbitrary and blind cuts are inflicting," he said in a statement. "Anyone who contends that medical imaging is responsible for escalating medical costs is either misinformed or purposefully misinforming others."
