Josh Cooper Named ACR EVP of Government Relations

The American College of Radiology® (ACR®) appointed Joshua J. Cooper executive vice president of Government Relations, Economics and Health Policy. Cooper has nearly three decades of experience in ACR advocacy, serving most recently as ACR vice president of Congressional Affairs and Government Relations.

“Josh has been instrumental in advancing policies that improve radiologic care, access, awareness, and patient outcomes,” said ACR CEO Dana H. Smetherman, MD, MPH, MBA, FACR. “His leadership and collaboration with ACR members, federal agencies, and lawmakers have shaped legislation and regulation supporting imaging and radiation oncology technologies, sensible reimbursement, and research benefiting radiology and patients.”

With strong relationships across radiology, the house of medicine, on Capitol Hill, and federal agencies, Cooper’s work was pivotal in major advocacy achievements, including:

• Leading Congressional efforts to avert full Medicare cuts during the COVID pandemic, and, in recent years, resulting in the reclamation of more than $1.6 billion in Medicare reimbursement for radiologists.  
  
• Securing Medicare coverage for lung cancer screening and CT colonography for colorectal cancer screening.
  
• Continuing congressional support for mandatory insurance coverage of annual screening mammography starting at age 40, with no out of pocket expense for patients.

“As radiology and medicine evolve, including clinical validation and integration of artificial and augmented intelligence, I look forward to working with ACR members and decision-makers to advance emerging technologies and ensure their promise to improve radiology and patient care is fulfilled,” said Cooper.