House Passes Health Care Reform Bill, Imaging Cuts

(RESTON, VA) -- Shortly before midnight on Nov. 7, 2009, the U.S. House or Representatives, by a 220 – 215 vote, passed H.R. 3962, Affordable Health Care for America Act. 39 Democrats voted against the bill, which contains medical imaging reimbursement cuts, while one Republican voted in favor of passage.


The legislation includes much of the same imaging related provisions as its predecessor, H.R. 3200. Specifically, the bill includes language to increase the reduction in the technical component for contiguous body parts from 25 to 50 percent. The House bill also increases the utilization assumption rate for advanced diagnostic imaging services from 50 to 75 percent. Finally, H.R. 3962 requires an imaging sunshine provision to report on ownership interests for advanced diagnostic imaging centers while also calling for a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study to look into patterns of in-office imaging self-referral.

The process of considering health care reform legislation now turns to the Senate. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) awaits official scoring of the Senate HCR package (an estimate of how much the bill will cost/save) after recently sending the provisions to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Many on Capitol Hill are predicting that passage of Senate health care reform legislation may be delayed until next year.


The ACR continues to educate legislators regarding quality and access dangers associated with arbitrary imaging cuts. Please stay tuned to the ACR web site for further updates as health care reform progresses.