VIDEO: Imaging societies ask Congress to repeal appropriate use decision support mandate
Randy Thompson discusses ASNC lobby to repeal AUC mandate
Randall Thompson, MD, immediate past president of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC), attending cardiologist at St. Luke's Mid-American Heart Institute, and professor of medicine, University of Missouri, Kansas City School of Medicine, explains the current ASNC lobbying efforts. ASNC is asking Congressional leaders to take action on improving the prior authorization system and is looking for lawmakers to repeal the Medicare Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) mandate.
The ASNC says the Medicare Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) mandate would take away resources from efforts in quality improvement by requiring additional administrative burden.
"It's not the appropriate use criteria we have an issue with, it is the decision support mandate, because it is overly prescriptive and there is a hassle factor and a time factor involved," Thompson explained.
The legislation would require electronic prior authorization, improve transparency for beneficiaries and providers, and increase oversight from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on how imaging is used vis prior authorization. The ASNC said the act recognizes that physicians should be focused on patient care, not on navigating the prior authorization process to get patients their recommended tests, procedures and treatments.
It is scheduled to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2023, or the January 1 that follows the declared end of the public health emergency for COVID-19. The mandate implementation has already been delayed for several years, originally having been slated for 2016. Thompson said CMS has run into several technical issues with the rule and vendors did not have clear guidance from CMS early on as to what they needed CDS software to do to be certified.
For more details read the full article American Society of Nuclear Cardiology urges Congress to speed prior authorizations, repeal AUC mandate.
Dave Fornell has covered healthcare for more than 17 years, with a focus in cardiology and radiology. Fornell is a 5-time winner of a Jesse H. Neal Award, the most prestigious editorial honors in the field of specialized journalism. The wins included best technical content, best use of social media and best COVID-19 coverage. Fornell was also a three-time Neal finalist for best range of work by a single author. He produces more than 100 editorial videos each year, most of them interviews with key opinion leaders in medicine. He also writes technical articles, covers key trends, conducts video hospital site visits, and is very involved with social media. E-mail: dfornell@innovatehealthcare.com