Bills to Repeal MPPR Pick Up 15 New Sponsors

Direct lobbying by American College of Radiology (ACR) members in Washington, D.C. for the ACR’s annual meeting and chapter leadership conference paid off in 12 Representatives and three Senators adding their names to legislation to remove the multiple procedure payment reduction (MPPR) on the professional component of imaging. The 12 Representatives who added their names to H.R. 846: the Diagnostic Imaging Services Access Protection Act of 2013 on May 8 were Jason Chaffetz, (R-Utah), Mike Coffman (R-Colo.), John Culberson (R-Tex.), Sean Duffy (R-Wis.), Gene Green (D-Tex.), Colleen Hanabusa (D-Hawaii), Henry Johnson (D-Ga.), Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), Kristi Noem (R-S.D.), Jon Runyan (R-N.J.), Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) and David Valadao (R-Calif.). The three Senators who added their names to S. 623: The Diagnostic Imaging Services Access Protection Act of 2013 were Mark Begich (D-Alaska), William “Mo” Cowan (D-Mass) and Mary Landrieu (D-La.) "ACR members are the most effective ambassadors for the profession,” says Cindy Moran, the ACR's assistant executive director for government relations and economic policy. “Because of their expertise and firsthand knowledge, they can effectively explain why the MPPR is unfounded and can damage patient care. We had a productive Hill day. The members of Congress were receptive and many acted upon the knowledge that they gained from their constituent radiologists. We are very pleased about that." The addition of these legislators brings the total number of co-sponsors on the House bill to 97 and co-sponsors on the Senate bill to 6.