,,ii #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #dfbd ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #ba1 #bjbf,mr4 ,boozman 7for himself and ,mr4 ,lujn7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,finance ,a ,,bill ,to amend title ,,xviii of the ,social ,security ,act to provide for payment for services of radiologist assistants under the ,medicare program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,medicare ,access to ,radiology ,care ,act of #bjbf4 #b4 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,radiologist assistants are advanced-level radiographers who are critically important members of the radiologist-led team4 7#b7 ,radiologist assistants work strictly under the supervision of a radiologist to promote high standards of patient care by assisting radiologists in the diagnostic and interventional imaging environment4 7#c7 ,in every jurisdiction authorizing radiologist assistants to practice1 they are only permitted to furnish services when delegated by and under the supervision of a radiologist4 7#d7 ,radiologist assistants value their working and professional relationships with radiologists and have never sought1 nor do they seek1 the ability to practice independent of radiologists4 7#e7 ,while radiologist assistants perform various valuable professional services and may make and communicate initial observations to the radiologist1 radiologist assistants are not qualified to perform interpretations 7preliminary1 final1 or otherwise7 of any radiological examination4 7#f7 ,removing barriers to care rendered by radiologist assistants under the supervision of a radiologist will provide value-based1 efficient solutions to improve patient outcomes while ensuring patient safety4 #c4 ,medicare payment for radiologist assistant services 7a7 ,coverage ,section #ahfa of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciex7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7s77#b77,k7-- 7,a7 in clause 7ii71 by striking the semicolon at the end and inserting 1 and2 and 7,b7 by adding at the end the following new clause3 7iii7 radiologist assistant services 7as defined in subsection 7ooo77#a772 2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following new subsection3 7ooo7 ,radiologist assistant services2 radiologist assistant 7#a7 ,radiologist assistant services ,the term radiologist assistant services means-- 7,a7 services which would be physicians' services if furnished by a physician 7as defined in subsection 7r77#a77 and which are performed by a radiologist assistant 7as defined in paragraph 7#b77 under the supervision of a radiologist2 7,b7 services which the radiologist assistant is legally authorized to perform by the ,state in which the services are performed2 and 7,c7 services in which no other provider 7other than the supervising radiologist7 charges or is paid any amount with respect to the furnishing of such services4 7#b7 ,radiologist assistant ,the term radiologist assistant means a radiographer who is certified by the ,american ,registry of ,radiologic ,technologists as a registered radiologist assistant to perform radiologist assistant services4 7#c7 ,rules of construction ,nothing in this subsection shall be construed as affecting-- 7,a7 coverage of and payment for the technical component 7including the technical component of a global fee7 with respect to imaging services under this title as in effect before the date of the enactment of this subsection2 7,b7 the amount of payment made for physicians' services under this title when such services are personally performed by a radiologist2 or 7,c7 the amount of payment made under this title for services furnished by a covered facility setting 7as defined in section #ahdh7;a77#aj77;,b774 4 7b7 ,payment in relation to physician fee schedule 7#a7 ,payment level ,section #ahcc7;a77#a77,o7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciel7a77#a77,o77 is amended by striking or clinical nurse specialists and inserting clinical nurse specialists1 or in the case of services provided in a covered facility setting 7as defined in section #ahdh7;a77#aj77;,b771 radiologist assistants4 7#b7 ,application of fee schedule in hospital1 ambulatory surgical center settings ,section #ahdh7;a7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciew-#d7;a77 is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#aj7 ,application of fee schedule for radiologist assistant services in hospital1 ambulatory surgical center settings 7,a7 ,in general ,in the case of radiologist assistant services 7as defined in section #ahfa7ooo77#a77 furnished in a covered facility setting 7as defined in subparagraph 7,b771 payment for such services furnished in such setting shall be made to the supervising radiologist in the amount determined pursuant to section #ahcc7;a77#a77,o74 7,b7 ,covered facility setting defined ,in this paragraph1 the term covered facility setting means-- 7i7 a hospital or critical access hospital2 7ii7 an ambulatory surgical center2 and 7iii7 such other providers of services as the ,secretary may specify4 4 7#c7 ,payment to supervising radiologist ,section #ahdb7;b77#f7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acieu7b77#f77 is amended in the first sentence-- 7,a7 by striking and before 7,j72 and 7,b7 by inserting before the period at the end the following3 1 and 7,k7 in the case of services described in section #ahfa7s77#b77,k77iii7 7relating to radiologist assistant services71 payment shall be made to the supervising radiologist4 7c7 ,effective date ,the amendments made by this section shall apply to services furnished on or after ,january #a1 #bjbg4