From ACR Chair Moore: On the Eve of More Imaging Cuts, Radiology Can Determine its Fate
Dear ACR Members:
A little less than two years ago, a handful of lawmakers and their staff got together in a room to negotiate the final details of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA). What came out of that room in the Capitol building was something that rocked the world of radiology economics. Providers of medical imaging were blindsided by a policy that was born in the middle of the night — a policy that was contained in neither the House’s version of the DRA, nor the Senate’s. The DRA cuts were a $13 billion money grab used to cover the cost of preventing the 5 percent overall physician payment cut that was looming less than a month away.
Two years later, we find ourselves in a similar situation. Billions of dollars in additional imaging cuts have already passed the House and have now made it on the list of proposed “pay-fors” in the Senate’s Medicare package to be finalized next week.
However, there is one significant difference. In 2005, radiologists had no opportunity to take action to prevent the now infamous DRA cuts. We do have a chance to prevent the next round, but it will take the help of each and every radiologist to do so.
The good thing about our situation this time around is that we can foresee the danger ahead. We have a plan that we must execute. Starting next week, the College will be calling on radiologists across the country to help determine our collective fate. Typically, the average response rate to an ACR action alert is about 3 percent. A similar response rate at this critical time will virtually guarantee additional cuts to imaging in this year’s Medicare bill. It’s that simple.
Our activities will include:
1.) A call-in campaign focused on members of the Senate Finance Committee who are negotiating the “pay-fors” in their bill next week.
2.) An e-mail campaign to House members asking that they sign on to a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi saying, “No new cuts!” in the final bill.
3.) Targeted grassroots by state chapters to key lawmakers involved in House/Senate negotiations.
4.) An on-site phone in campaign at RSNA.
5.) And of course, other grassroots actions as needed.
The ball is in our court. The outrage that was the DRA has created many allies on Capitol Hill for our specialty. Our allies and key decision makers must hear from us now or they will assume it doesn’t matter. Please stay tuned To the ACR Web site for further updates.
Sincerely,
Arl Van Moore Jr., M.D., FACR
Chair
American College of Radiology Board of Chancellors