Congress does nothing to halt DRA
Nothing – including many hours of lobbying, and testimony by various individuals and organizations such as the ACR (American College of Radiology) this year — was able to provoke Congress to delay imaging cuts contained in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA) before it closed shop for the year. You can now expect the cuts to go into effect January 1, 2007.

Likely reflecting the feelings of many, Arl Van Moore, Jr, MD, FACR, chair, ACR Board of Chancellors, wrote in a letter posted to the organization’s website that he was, “deeply disappointed that Congress was unable to delay this DRA policy that many Capitol Hill lawmakers readily admitted was enacted through a closed-door process without any thought to how this policy will affect patients' timely access to medical imaging services.”

He added that the community should “be assured that the ACR will continue to work to enact responsible imaging reimbursement policies that are based on quality and safety for our patients.”

ACR expects to continue to pursue the issue with the 110th Congress, which convenes in January, Van Moore wrote.
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