ALBUQUERQUE — The Consistency, Accuracy, Responsibility and Excellence in Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy bill (CARE bill) was introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday, Jan. 19.. This bill, H.R. 583, introduced by Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Pa., was previously known as the Consumer Assurance of Radiologic Excellence bill. The lead Republican cosponsor on the bill is Rep. Chip Pickering, from Mississippi, who has been a long time supporter of the legislation and helped advance the bill in the 109th Congress to its furthest point to date. Other cosponsors of the bill are Reps. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.; Lois Capps, D-Calif.; John J. Duncan, Jr., R-Tenn.; Mike Rogers, R-Mich.; and Heather Wilson, R-N.M.

"We're very pleased that the bill was introduced so early in the session," said Christine Lung, ASRT's director of government relations. "The CARE bill came very close to passing last year, and this is the earliest it has ever been introduced into a session. We want to keep the momentum going. This is the fifth time the bill has been introduced into Congress and each time, we get closer."

The RadCARE bill was unanimously passed by the Senate in December 2006. Last-minute efforts to get the bill through Congress, however, were not successful. "It was all about time. We simply ran out of it," said Ms. Lung. "However, with the passing of the bill by the Senate and a new Democratic leadership following the November 2006 elections, we feel we are in a very strong position to get the bill passed this year."

The CARE bill would require people performing the technical components of medical imaging and radiation therapy to meet federal education and credentialing standards in order to participate in federal health programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and other programs administered by the Department of Health and Human Services. Medical imaging examinations and procedures, as well as radiation therapy treatments for patients covered under these programs, would need to be performed by personnel meeting the federal standards in order to be eligible for reimbursement.

ASRT, along with the other members of the Alliance for Quality Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy, decided to change the name of the bill from the Consumer Assurance of Radiologic Excellence bill, to the Consistency, Accuracy, Responsibility and Excellence in Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy bill with its introduction into this year’s session of Congress. The CARE bill is the short name for both the House and the Senate versions of the bill. The short title for the Senate version of the bill had been the RadCARE bill.

The new name came about when the Alliance, a group of 20 radiologic science organizations representing more than 350,000 imaging technologists, radiation therapists and medical physicists, felt it was time for a change. "We felt that changing the name was important," said Ms. Lung. "The new name more accurately reflects the global nature of medical imaging, which now plays an important role in every area of medicine. With more than 300 million imaging procedures performed annually, patient care and safety are even more important now." The Alliance also felt name recognition was important, so they decided to continue to use the CARE bill as the short title.

Contact: Michelle Stephens, 800-444-2778, Ext. 1287

Courtesy of www.asrt.org