ACR Opposes CMS Plan to Cut $260M from Medicare Imaging Payments

ACR opposes CMS plan to cut $260M from Medicare imaging, warning it may reduce access to preventive screenings like CT colonography and lung cancer screening, and argues CMS hasn't shown payment policy drives imaging growth.

• CMS proposes applying site-neutral payment, paying hospital outpatient imaging at lower physician fee schedule rates, targeting $260 million in savings.
• ACR contends CMS has not evidenced that payment differences are the primary driver of imaging volume growth, citing other factors like patient needs and expanded indications.
• Preventive services such as CT colonography, lung cancer screening, and DXA are among those targeted, potentially creating barriers to screening access.

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