By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: 2014 Medicare Payment Cuts for Radiology Services
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Business > Finance > 2014 Medicare Payment Cuts for Radiology Services
BusinessFinancePublic HealthRadiology

2014 Medicare Payment Cuts for Radiology Services

Andy Salmen
Andy Salmen
Share
4 Min Read
SHARE

ID-100240192In 2014, radiology practitioners are facing a rapidly-shifting professional landscape.  New technology, changes in healthcare laws, as well as the advancement of coding protocols used for reimbursement have all had an impact on the way that radiologists work and bill for their services.

ID-100240192In 2014, radiology practitioners are facing a rapidly-shifting professional landscape.  New technology, changes in healthcare laws, as well as the advancement of coding protocols used for reimbursement have all had an impact on the way that radiologists work and bill for their services.  One of the most pressing radiology billing issues this year is the reimbursement changes to the technical component of imaging procedures, including many kinds of MRI and CT examinations.

An Explanation Of Fee Changes In 2014

More Read

The Push for Patient Engagement: Who Benefits the Most?
APTA Session Recap: What We Say Feeds White and Grey
Your Hospital Social Media Benchmark: How Do You Rank?
Does Your Smartphone Know More About Your Health Than You Do?
Clinical Trials Software Firm Gets Funding to Help with Health Data Digitization

In response to factors including increased experience with payment protocols and an analysis of payment data from hospitals and other types of medical practices, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its 2014 hospital outpatient prospective payment system updates late last year.  CMS also offers information about the changes to the reimbursement rate of specific Medicare services, in terms of the dollar amount as well as the percentage change.  Unfortunately for radiology professionals, there was a decrease in many different kinds of imaging procedures that will have an economic impact on the field.

The Impact Of HOPPS Changes For 2014

In a letter to Marilyn Tavenner, administrator at CMS, the Radiology Business Management Association (RBMA) paints a grim picture of the changes to the Medicare fee schedule for 2014. RBMA board of directors president Wendy Lomers particularly criticizes CMS’ new 90% usage rate, a figure that is used to calculate reimbursement for the use of expensive imaging equipment.  Generally speaking, as usage rates go up, reimbursement rates go down.  Lomers writes that utilization rates for equipment used in advanced imaging like CT and MRI scans are closer to 60% and stresses that even in the busiest offices, “real world” issues like lunch breaks, unexpected office closures, and appointment no-shows make it nearly impossible for a 90% usage rate to be accurate.

In a separate letter to Marilyn Tavenner, Lomers comments on the decreased payment percentages for imaging and uses the numbers to show why they will cause profits from radiology billing to take a hit.  A CT scan without contrast procedure, for example, will see a 27.1% decrease in payment rate for 2014.  Several other types of imaging procedures are also seeing close to a 20% decrease in reimbursement.

Response From The Radiology Community

Besides the RBMA voicing their concerns, other organizations have also been outspoken about the negative effect on radiology billing that the 2014 CMS cuts will have.  The American College of Radiology (ACR) published a similar letter to Marilyn Tavenner that explains the significant burden these cuts will place on smaller physician offices that do not have the same patient volume as larger hospitals.  ACR President Harvey L. Neiman also points out that since 2006, CT and MR imaging services have seen 12 cuts in reimbursement rates.

In an article published in December 2013 on UBM’s Diagnostic Imaging site, Whitney L.J. Howell touches on another important area of the 2014 CMS cuts to radiology billing: the reduction of reimbursement for breast biopsy codes.  Howell estimates a reduction of between 29 and 50% because of new bundling regulations that consolidate reimbursement billing for several types of imaging.  Also affected are MRI and CT procedures to the brain and spine.

 

TAGGED:Medicare
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

dental care
Importance of Good Dental Care for Health and Confidence
Dental health Specialties
October 2, 2025
AI in Healthcare
AI in Healthcare: Technology is Transforming the Global Landscape
Global Healthcare Policy & Law Technology
October 1, 2025
Choosing the Right Swimwear for Health and Safety
News
September 30, 2025
sports concussions
Concussion In Sports: How Common They Are And What You Need To Know
Infographics
September 28, 2025

You Might also Like

Can Toys Decrease the Cost of Health Care Devices?

May 30, 2013

Patient Recovery: It Takes a Village

January 22, 2014

When Patients Leave: Why They Fire the Doctor

December 26, 2017
Image
Business

Oncologists Get Serious About Drug Prices

April 27, 2013
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?