August 2, 2019 — The American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) announced its support for House Resolution (HR) 3772, a measure that loosens certain radiopharmaceutical bundling practices and simplifies Medicare billing for nuclear medicine procedures.
Diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals are defined by statute as drugs, but despite acknowledging concerns about growing patient access issues, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) treats them as supplies and packages them into procedural bundles. The bundling of radiopharmaceuticals has proved to be problematic as diagnostic radiopharmaceutical costs can vary widely within nuclear medicine procedures, according to the ASRT.
The society added that the current process discourages hospitals to utilize innovative and targeted radiopharmaceuticals, limits investment in and research for new diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals and may impede patient access to the most appropriate diagnostic tools at readily accessible healthcare locations. In addition, it may also result in inaccurate diagnoses and ineffective treatment plans.
The ASRT, Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI), Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA), and Council on Radionuclides and Radiopharmaceuticals support HR 3772.
Read the full text of the resolution.
For more information: www.asrt.org
July 25, 2024 
