Physician advocacy groups including the RBMA, ASTRO, MGMA and AMA criticized the final rule, with the latter calling it a "recipe for financial instability." 

Chair Lina M. Khan spoke about the topic during the closing keynote at the American College of Emergency Physicians’ annual meeting in Philadelphia.

Widow Marlene Jackson accused Ohio radiologist Peter G. Knabe, MD, of negligence in failing to spot signs of lung cancer on her husband's CT scans.

“Physicians everywhere—across every state and specialty—continue to carry tremendous burdens that have us frustrated, burned out, abandoning hope," said AMA President Jesse Ehrenfeld. 

"Instead of Congress making payment adjustments every year, it's time we address the underlying issues and make long-term reforms," said Sen. John Thune. 

The agency received “considerable interest” in a comment solicitation on this topic, with respondents providing “various insights and potential policy changes.” 

This year alone, ACR has tracked more than 100 proposed policies relating to radiologic scope-of-practice expansion, spanning 30 states.

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health recently held a hearing to discuss the proposal, with rads hopeful it will be included in a year-end package.

The rule seeks to improve communication between health insurers, physicians and the independent entities that arbitrate disagreements over out-of-network payments. 

That’s because the nation’s largest trade group for medical doctors is conducting a practice survey that could have big implications for physician payment.

The Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance, which represents device manufacturers, praised the president's announcement.