The Medicare Access to Radiology Care Act (MARCA) has been reintroduced in the U.S. Senate.
The proposed legislation (S 4624) will allow radiologists to submit claims to Medicare for services provided by radiologist assistants (RAs), supervised by a radiologist as part of a radiologist-led team, according to the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT).
If the act passes, reimbursement will occur regardless of the setting in which the radiology service is provided -- a hospital, critical access hospital, ambulatory surgical center or other health care setting, ASRT explained.
Introduced this time by Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) and Sen. Ben Ray Luján, (D-NM), MARCA dates back to 2018 when Medicare amended its payment policy to adjust the radiologist supervision levels for radiologist assistants, ASRT noted.
The ASRT, American College of Radiology (ACR), American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT), and the Society of Radiology Physician Extenders support its passage, ASRT said.
In a May 22 bulletin, the ACR said the bill also defines RA training and scope of practice. RAs still cannot supervise or interpret exams; they are not independent practitioners; and they must always practice under the supervision of a radiologist, the ACR emphasized, adding that it opposes imaging supervision or interpretation by any nonphysician provider.
“The RA is very different from other physician extenders in payment, training and clearly-defined scope of practice,” said Christoph Wald, MD, PhD, chair of the ACR Board of Chancellors. “This bill would help ensure that RA use can allow more efficient radiology care, maintain physician-led medicine, and help radiology facilities practically meet increased imaging demand while avoiding many pitfalls of non-physician practitioner use.”
