Imaging Provisions in announced Congressional spending/tax deal

Congressional leaders released sweeping spending and tax bills that include a number of provisions impacting Medicare and significant provisions related to diagnostic radiology services. Section 502 incentivizes the transition from traditional x-ray imaging to digital radiography by reducing by 20% the Medicare hospital outpatient PPS and physician fee schedule payment for the technical component (including the technical component portion of a global service) of film x-rays beginning in 2017.  In addition, the OPPS payment and physician fee schedule payment for the technical component of an x-ray taken using “computed radiography technology” will be reduced by 7% during 2018 through 2022, with a 10% reduction applicable beginning in 2023. The term “computed radiography technology” is defined to mean cassette-based imaging which utilizes an imaging plate to create the image. In addition, the bill reduces the discount in payment for the professional component of multiple imaging services furnished on or after January 1, 2017 from 25% to 5%.