Changes on the Horizon
December is here, and I’m officially excited. Temperatures have dropped, the Radiology 100 has been published and another baseball season is in the books. The election is even done, so we can emerge from our bunkers and once again have civilized conversations with distant relatives.
With 2017 just one busy month away, it’s worth looking ahead at a few things imaging leaders need to know going into the new year. Fortunately, there is no XR-29-2013 standard or ICD-10 deadline to worry about this time around, but big changes are still right around the corner.
When the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016, or Omnibus Bill, was passed in late 2015, it included text that required imaging providers to start using digital radiography. Beginning on Jan 1, 2017, providers using film will start being hit with 20% reimbursement reductions.
Sure, most large providers phased out of using film long ago, but many smaller practices still use film to this day. If this applies to you, make sure you look long and hard at your options. Is taking the 20% hit worth not updating your equipment? How much longer can you afford to wait? Waiting to adapt for financial reasons is understandable, but the industry is moving fast; you don’t want to risk being left behind. (Practices still using computed radiography also are on the hot seat: beginning in 2018, reductions of 7% will be put in place, with additional reductions coming each additional year.)
Positive changes
Leaders should also make sure they know that changes in mammography codes could be coming in 2017, thanks to the proposed 2017 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) CMS released back in July. The final rule is expected in early November.
The current codes used to report mammography and CAD will soon be gone, with new codes coming that bundle mammography and CAD when both are performed. According to a statement1 from the American College of Radiology (ACR), CMS got this one right.
“CMS has recognized the value provided by radiologists in providing mammography services through an increase in the physician work relative value units (RVUs) for diagnostic mammography and maintaining the current value for screening mammography,” the ACR wrote.
There’s another change coming in the new year that should make radiologists jump for joy. The proposed rule reduces the multiple procedure payment reduction from 25% to%, effective Jan. 1, 2017.
The ACR and Radiology Business Management Association (RBMA) both published statements in support of this move when it was first announced. “RBMA members worked to educate their elected representatives about the appropriateness and magnitude of the cut based on their personal practice experience as well as published literature,” Mike Mabry, former executive director of the RBMA, said in the association’s statement2.
More money, more security?
Next year also is set to be a big year in healthcare IT. In a survey earlier this year, a majority of healthcare organizations3 said they are planning on increasing their budgets in the next 12 months, which should help enhance security, improve patient portals and help physicians continue their evolution toward more patient-centered care.
This should be a huge win for radiologists—beefed-up security helps everyone, and patient portals are becoming a big part of imaging workflow. It’s too early to say if those big budgets will make any noticeable impact.
It’s worth noting that Jan. 1, 2017, was originally the deadline for physicians to start ordering advanced imaging exams through clinical decision support (CDS) systems based on appropriate use criteria. Though many advocacy groups were in favor of that deadline, CMS decided to give providers more time to adapt and delayed the deadline.
The proposed 2017 MPFS, however, announced a new deadline: Jan. 1, 2018. If you’re a fan of CDS systems, take pleasure in knowing that the new requirements will be here before you know it. If you dislike the growing technology, enjoy the current status quo while you still can.
Imaging leaders have a lot to think about this holiday season. As always, the new year will bring with it a lot of change—but it’s nothing radiologists can’t handle. I’m sure they will adapt as always and continue to provide the best patient care possible.
References
- ACR Preliminary Summary of Radiology Provisions in the 2017 MPFS Proposed Rule. Published July 7, 2016. Accessed October 7, 2016.
- RBMA Applauds Congressional Action on MPPR and Mammography Standards. Published December 21, 2015. Accessed October 7, 2016.
- Livernois C. Healthcare organizations’ top three IT trends. Published May 23, 2016. Accessed October 7, 2016.
Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.