Reimbursement News
Medicare Announces Expanded PET Coverage
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a national coverage determination (NCD) that expands coverage for FDG-PET scans for the management of cancer patients. The National Oncologic PET Registry has also been extended.
Under this NCD, CMS will cover one (1) FDG-PET study for initial treatment strategy for all types of solid tumors (with the exception of prostate cancer) that are either biopsy proven or strongly suspected based on other diagnostic testing. Coverage limitations remain for breast cancer, cervical cancer and melanoma.
CMS will cover the following indications for subsequent treatment strategy: breast, cervical, colorectal, esophageal, head and neck, lymphoma, non-small cell lung, ovarian, melanoma, myeloma and thyroid. Cervical, ovarian and myeloma are newly covered for subsequent treatment strategy. For subsequent treatment strategy of all other cancers, PET will be covered under an approved Coverage with Evidence Development (CED) program such as the NOPR.
Click on Full Story below to view a chart summarizing the effect of these changes.
Read CMS’ Final PET NCD
Read more on SNM Website
View related details on changes to NOPR patient registration and data entry procedures
[FULL STORY]
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Business News
Imaging and the economic crisis: Sudden impact
Walk into the boardroom during a budget meeting at any hospital or imaging center today and it's not hard to learn what's keeping directors, managers, and administrators up at night...economic recession, access to capital, financing for existing and new technology, and cutting costs.
So how are imaging vendors dealing with current economic conditions?
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HHS begins to release stimulus funds
Authorized and funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has formed the Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research, allocating $1.1 billion to coordinate research and guide investments in comparative effectiveness research. HHS also gave states access to an additional $268 million authorized under the stimulus to help pay hospitals to treat underserved patients.
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Medical imaging takes rap for fueling higher Medicare costs
Overpayments, particularly for expensive imaging services, are the main culprit for increasing Medicare costs, according to the head of the influential Medicare Payment Advisory Commission.
In testimony before the House Ways and Means subcommittee on health, MedPAC chair Glenn M. Hackbarth singled out medical imaging, the Medicare Advantage managed care program, and Medicare Part D prescription drug benefits for reform to rein in rising Medicare spending.
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AMIC counters MedPAC imaging report
The Access to Medical Imaging Coalition (AMIC) released a new data analysis countering recommendations from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), which has called for significant cuts in physician reimbursement rates for advanced medical imaging procedures.
The AMIC analysis was delivered the day before a U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee hearing on MedPAC's annual report to Congress on Medicare payment policy.
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Coming Soon!
Taking It to the Streets
Register now to join PETNET Solutions for Taking It to the Streets®, a unique training seminar customized for the PET provider’s marketing personnel. In just four days, this program will enable your personnel to more fully grasp the needs of their oncologists and targeted referring physicians while strengthening their ability to educate referrers about the benefits of PET imaging.
Taking It to the Streets emphasizes appropriate PET•CT utilization and teaches how to deliver a message to your clients that will increase awareness, influence adoption, and support increased PET•CT utilization. While the content of this seminar is designed specifically around PET•CT imaging, it applies just as effectively to other specialty modalities.
Taking It to the Streets will be held in Knoxville, Tennessee on April 20-23, 2009. For more information, please contact PETNET Solutions at 1-877-4PETNET (1-877-473-8638) or mi-lifenet@petnetsolutions.com.
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Industry News
SPECT radiopharmacy owned by PETNET debuts in N.C.
Siemens Medical Solutions unit PETNET Solutions has opened a SPECT radiopharmacy in Raleigh, N.C. The radiopharmacy is equipped with a cyclotron and capable of meeting the requirements of high- and low-energy isotopes. PETNET's global network of 50 radiopharmacies and distribution centers cater to the PET imaging needs of hospitals, clinics and research facilities.
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Cancer Prevention Month
Colon Testing Saves Lives
Colon cancer starts with a growth that is not yet cancer. Testing can help find (and remove) these growths before they become cancerous.
Learn about Preventing Colon Cancer and Finding it Early, What Health Care Professionals Need to Know, and view the humorous ad campaign at the American Cancer Society webpage.
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