ACR Victory Allows Radiologists to Modify or Change Order
The American College of Radiology was successful in convincing the Alabama Medicare contractor to rescind its decision to restrict hospital-based radiologists from modifying or changing an order for an imaging exam. Greg McKinney, M.D., Part A medical director of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama/ Cahaba, had prohibited hospital-based radiologists from modifying or changing an order or referral without notifying the referring physician prior to performing the service. This action questioned the authority of radiologists as physicians, caused delays in patient care and added administrative burdens to radiology practices.
The ACR successfully argued to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that radiologists should have the authority to modify an order for a radiologic procedure as long as the study's report or the patient's medical records contain the rationale for the change.
The success in Alabama should serve as an example for other states experiencing similar problems. If you need assistance in dealing with Medicare or your Medicare carrier, please contact the Economics and Health Policy Department at (800) 227-5463, ext. 4043, or econ@acr.org.
