Urgent Medicare Reimbursement Announcement — Congress has just approved legislation to be signed soon by President Obama, to provide a two month reprieve from the impending 27.4 percent Medicare physician reimbursement cut that was slated to take effect January 1, 2012.

SCCT Voted-In to AMA Specialty and Service Society Caucus. More Information

SCCT Urges Super Committee to Reject Imaging Cuts. Please click here to view the letter that SCCT and other interested stakeholders sent to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, urging lawmakers to reject policies to restrict the provision of imaging services or further reduce reimbursement. If you haven't already, make sure to communicate with your lawmaker regarding your opposition to additional imaging cuts. Time is of the essence as the Super Committee will make recommendations to Congress by November 23, 2011. Please click here to view letter attachments.

SCCT Grassroots Action Alert — contact your U.S. Representative with a request to cosponsor H.R. 3269, legislation to repeal the MPPR provision included in the 2012 Final Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. More Information

SCCT calls your attention to a recently published Medicare Learning Network(MLN) article on billing for diagnostic imaging procedures in the emergency department. Please take the time to review this important article. More Information

Final 2012 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and Hospital Outpatient Rules Released
On November 1, 2011, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) posted the 2012 Final Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and the 2012 Final Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System rules. A summary of important provisions of both rules is available by clicking the following links:
2012 Final Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Rule
2012 Final Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System Rule

SCCT Action Alert - Oppose Prior Authorization and Further Cuts to Imaging Services. More Information. Talking Points.

SCCT Grassroots Action Alert - Voice Opposition to Additional Payment Cuts and Prior Authorization for Medical Imaging Services. More Information.

September 21, 2011 - CT-STAT Trial Finds CCTA Superior to MPI for Diagnosis of Early, Low-Risk Chest Pain in the Emergency Room. More Information.

August 16, 2011 - SCCT President Appointed to the MEDCAC. More Information.

August 16, 2011 - SCCT Announces New Leadership. More Information.

BCBSA Issues TEC Assessment - Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography meets the BCBSA TEC criteria for patients with acute chest pain presenting to the emergency room, without history of coronary artery disease and found not to have evidence of acute coronary syndromes. For details and to view a copy of the TEC assessment when it becomes available, visit:
http://www.bcbs.com/blueresources/tec/press/coronary-computed-tomographic.html

Please note: The BCBSA Medical Advisory Panel voted to table "Special Report: Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography for Evaluation of Stable Patients with Chest Pain and Suspected Coronary Artery Disease. SCCT will keep you updated on further developments as they occur.

SCCT Collaborates on Update to the Cardiac CT Appropriate Use Criteria. More Information

Advocacy Update — Noteworthy News

U.S. House of Representatives Continues to Eye Health Care Reform Repeal. More Information

Physician Pay "Fix" In President Obama's FY 2012 Budget Proposal. More information

Reminder — Rapidly Approaching Medicare Accreditation Requirements. More Information

SCCT in the News

The Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT) announces the finalists for the 5th Annual Toshiba Young Investigator (YIA) Award. More Information