The Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA) has released a statement praising Congress for including the Protecting Access to Lifesaving Screenings (PALS) Act in the $1.1 trillion, 2,000-plus page Omnibus Spending Bill announced earlier this week.

CMS published a reminder this week that the informal review period for the 2016 Value-Based Payment Modifier ends Dec. 16, 2015.

Recent legislation assures that it will be an enduring—as well as evolving—program

The FDA has announced that mammography facilities are no longer required to maintain a printer and/or the ability to print hard-copy images. The decision is now up to each individual facility.

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has voted in favor of House Bill 1233, which requires outpatient imaging providers to directly notify the patient if there is a finding that requires follow-up care. The final vote was 196 to 1, according to the Sharon Herald.

The American College of Radiology (ACR) and numerous colorectal cancer care advocacy groups are publicly urging Congress to pass the recently introduced CT Colonography Screening for Colorectal Cancer Act (S 2262). If passed, the bill would provide Medicare coverage for seniors who choose CT colonography. 

Medicare contractors are scheduled to begin accepting claims for low-dose computed tomography lung cancer screening on Jan. 4, 2016. As the American College of Radiology (ACR) pointed out in its detailed summary, the claims can be retroactive up to Feb. 5, 2015. 

CMS released both the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) and Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (HOPPS) final rules for 2016 on Oct. 30, and the American College of Radiology (ACR) issued a separate statement on each rule.