Organization

U.S. House Of Representatives


Reps Markey, Upton respond to Bond's concerns on the isotope bill

Top Stories | Wednesday, July 28 2010
Reps. Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., and Fred Upton, R-Mich., who co-authored H.R. 3276, the American Medical Production Act of 2009, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 400-17, have sent a letter to Sen. Christopher S. "Kit" Bond, R-Mo., addressing his opposition to the act.
 

CBO estimates discretionary spending for PPACA could exceed $115B

Top Stories | Thursday, May 13 2010
The new policies established by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) will cost federal agencies at least an estimated $115 billion between 2010-2019 to implement, in the form of explicit authorizations for future appropriations for a variety of grant and other program spending, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).
 

ACR endorses bill to 'safeguard' access to preventive services

Industry News | Thursday, March 11 2010
The American College of Radiology (ACR) has endorsed the Safeguard Access to Preventative Services Act (H.R. 4794), which was introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Leonard Lance (R-NJ) and three original co-sponsors on March 9.
 

CMS stalls 21% payment cut, allows time for Senate rescue

Top Stories | Monday, March 01 2010
The 21.2 percent cut in Medicare reimbursement officially went into effect Monday, March 1, but the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a guidance Friday that will delay its effects for two weeks, or until the U.S. Senate acts on a bill delaying the cut.
 

Cardiology advocates continue to fight cuts legislatively

Industry News | Thursday, February 04 2010
Legislation introduced by Rep. Charlie Gonzalez, D-Texas, to hold cardiology practice expense values at the 2009 rates, while allowing other specialty practices to operate at 2010 physician practice information survey values, has garnered 82 co-sponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives.
 

House votes to temporarily suspend Medicare physician payment cuts

Top Stories | Thursday, December 17 2009
The U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday passed a $636 billion defense appropriations bill, which included a provision to delay the 21.2 percent reduction in Medicare physician payment until March 2010.
 

House passes bill to help medical practices adopt health IT

Industry News | Monday, November 23 2009
The Small Business Health IT Financing Act, which includes a provision authorizing the Small Business Administration to guarantee health IT loans to small business health practices or medical professionals, was passed by the House of Representatives last week.
 

House repeals 21.2% physician rate cut, SGR formula

Top Stories | Friday, November 20 2009
The U.S. House of Representatives voted Thursday to pass H.R. 3961, the Medicare Physician Payment Act, 243-183, altering the way Medicare pays physicians and preventing a scheduled 21.2 percent rate decrease set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2010.
 

House delivers healthcare reform victory in late-night session

Top Stories | Monday, November 09 2009
Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives managed to squeak out a healthcare reform victory (220-215) late Saturday evening, after ratifying the Stupak-Pitts Amendment that will prohibit abortion funding for both the public option and affordability credits.
 

Medical isotope bill breezes through House

Top Stories | Friday, November 06 2009
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed HR 3276—the American Medical Isotopes Production Act of 2009—by a roll call vote of 400-17. The legislation will help to fund projects for producing the medical isotope molybdenum-99 within the United States.
 

House unveils final version of healthcare reform bill

Top Stories | Friday, October 30 2009
Democrats from the U.S. House of Representatives on Oct. 30 unveiled a revised healthcare reform proposal—H.R. 3692, the Affordable Health Care for America Act—which the Congressional Budget Office estimated carries an $894 billion price tag for the federal government.
 

Medical isotope bill goes to full House vote

Top Stories | Tuesday, October 27 2009
The American Medical Isotopes Production Act (HR 3276) was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives’ Energy and Commerce Committee on Oct. 21. The new legislation will help to fund projects for producing the medical isotope molybdenum-99 within the U.S., in order to ensure a consistent supply for American patients.
 

House panel adds telehealth to healthcare reform bill

Top Stories | Tuesday, July 21 2009
The U.S. House Ways and Means Committee included several provisions supporting telehealth into healthcare reform legislation this week.
 

ACR urges inclusion of self-referral prohibition in healthcare reform

Top Stories | Tuesday, July 21 2009
The American College of Radiology (ACR) is asking its members to contact their Representative to request that a recent bill prohibiting physician self-referral be rolled into the healthcare reform bill introduced last week in the U.S. House of Representatives.
 

CBO: House healthcare reform bill will add to deficit

Top Stories | Monday, July 20 2009
The healthcare reform bill proposed in the U.S. House of Representatives last week would result in an estimated net increase in the federal budget deficit of $65 billion over the 2010-2019 period, according to a preliminary analysis performed by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT), and released July 17.
 

House unveils health reform bill

Top Stories | Friday, July 17 2009
The U.S. House of Representatives has released the America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, its version of how to reform the current U.S. healthcare system. To support the bill's initiatives, it proposes a 5.4 percent tax on U.S. taxpayers earning more than $1 million; and a 1.5 percent tax on those who make more than $500,000, but less than $1 million.
 

House bill introduced to close Stark self-referral loophole

Top Stories | Friday, July 03 2009
Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., has introduced HR 2962, the Integrity in Medicare Advanced Diagnostic Imaging Act of 2009, to the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill seeks to amend Title XVIII of the Social Security Act to exclude "certain advanced diagnostic imaging services" from the in-office ancillary services exception to the Stark Law's prohibition on physician self-referral.
 

ACR members urge Congress against RBMs, utilization rate change

Industry News | Thursday, June 25 2009
Members of the American College of Radiology (ACR) urged the U.S. House of Representatives Rural Caucus against using radiology benefits managers (RBMs) in the Medicare system and against a proposed imaging equipment utilization rate change from 50 to 95 percent at a Capitol Hill briefing held June 24.
 

House healthcare reform bill calls for 75% increase in imaging utilization

Top Stories | Wednesday, June 24 2009
Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives unveiled their healthcare reform legislation Friday, calling for a 75 percent increase in the equipment utilization rate and an increase of 25 to 50 percent in the reduction of the technical component of imaging for multiple procedures.
 

NEJM editorial applauds CMS decision to reject CTC for cancer screening

Top Stories | Thursday, May 28 2009
A perspective in the May 27 New England Journal of Medicine stated that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) recent decision to deny coverage of CT colonography (CTC) for cancer screening reflects an evidence-based approach that acknowledges "the crucial importance of age-specific data on clinical effectiveness, as well as cost-effectiveness in the population for which the CMS is responsible."
 
Web Exclusives

Feature: U.S. needs national strategy to curb imaging overutilization

Medical imaging overutilization--a growing concern in the U.S.--exposes patients to unnecessary radiation, while also adding to rising healthcare costs, according to a study published online Aug. 24 in Radiology. In an interview, William R. Hendee, PhD, lead author, reviewed various methods by which medical imaging could be curtailed.

Radiology: Prelim study shows CE breast CT outperforms CT, mammo

Dedicated contrast-enhanced (CE) breast CT delivered significantly improved conspicuity of malignant breast lesions, including ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), compared with unenhanced breast CT and mammography, according to a study published in the September issue of Radiology.

Radiology: Rad role may evolve as image-guided biopsies trend up

CT, ultrasound and MRI have helped shift biopsy techniques away from more invasive approaches toward image-guided percutaneous techniques, according to a study published in the September issue of Radiology. The trend toward less-invasive approaches translates into enhanced safety and efficiency and could lead to more interaction between patients and radiologists.

CMS Webinar: Incentive payments to offset EHR adoption, not reimburse

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) EHR incentive payments are not considered reimbursement for money expended on EHR technology, but are intended to offset the cost associated with adoption and ongoing meaningful use, according to CMS during an Aug. 12 webinar.

CMS webinar: Eligible professionals can expect EHR incentives in 2011

Funding incentives for EHR use is the main goal of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) meaningful use initiative, and there are incentive programs for both hospitals and eligible professionals, according to Elizabeth Holland, health insurance specialist at the Department of Health and Human Services, who spoke during a CMS-sponsored webinar Aug. 8.

Webinar: Stage 1 of meaningful use is for quality reporting acclimation

Stage 1 requirements for meaningful use incentives aim to strike a balance between the overall goal of EHR use and widespread adoption, while avoiding added work, said Jonathan Teich, MD, PhD, chief medical informatics officer at Elsevier Health Services, during a HIMSS webinar titled “Meaningful Use: Safety and Quality of Care.”

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