The U.S. House of Representatives passed the reauthorization of the Medical Device User Fee Act (MDUFA IV) on July 12, legislation to reauthorize user fee programs through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) affecting medical devices and prescription and generic drugs.

An alphabet soup of regulatory bodies and accreditation agencies can make the process of properly credentialing radiologic technologists a head-spinning affair. Fortunately, Cybil Nielsen, MBA, nuclear medicine technology program director at Indiana University School of Medicine, will set the record straight at the Association for Medical Imaging Management (AHRA) 45th Annual Meeting and Exposition.

William Thorwarth Jr., MD, American College of Radiology (ACR) CEO, spoke with HHS Secretary Tom Price, MD, in late June to discuss “unnecessary federal regulations and administrative requirements,” according to the ACR.

The Access to Medical Imaging Coalition (AMIC) and National Rural Health Association (NRHA) released a joint statement Wednesday asking CMS to oppose the expansion of site-neutral payment policies designed to reduce Medicare payments for certain services performed in hospital outpatient settings.”

Senate Republicans are delaying the vote on their Affordable Care Act (ACA) replacement until after the July 4 congressional recess, missing a self-imposed deadline due to holdouts on both ends of the conservative spectrum.

The 2018 Quality Payment Program proposed rule eases the burden on small and rural practices compared to the 2017 rule, more or less responding to criticism of the 2017 rule’s high expectations on practices.

The Access to Medical Imaging Coalition released a statement Thursday applauding CMS for its proposal that clinician consultation of appropriate use criteria (AUC) related to advanced imaging services be considered a high-weighted improvement activity for the 2018 Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) performance period.

A draft verison of the Senate's iteration of the American Health Care Act will be released on Thursday, according to Politico. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, appears to be sticking to his guns by moving towards a vote on the healthcare bill before the July 4 recess.