The first session of the 110th Congress expired in
late December before the CARE Bills were marked up in Committee. This
opportunity lapsed for a couple of reasons: 1) the need for Congress
to address numerous federal government funding bills before the end
of the year, and 2) the temporary uncertainty about possible redundant
and conflicting credentialing / accreditation language in the year-end
Medicare bills. The latter was averted, paving the way for serious consideration
of the intact CARE bills beginning early in the second session of the
110th Congress.
Congress did pass a short-term Medicare bill that provides six months
of relief from cuts to physician fee schedule (PFS) payments and a two
year extension of the SCHIP program. (See separate article on “Additional
Medical Imaging Cuts Averted in New U.S. Budget” in this issue.)
The Alliance for Quality Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy, of
which SVU is a member, had many successful face-to-face meetings on
the CARE Bills with the Chairmen of the House Health Subcommittee, House
Energy & Commerce Committee, and Senate Committee on Health, Education,
Labor and Pensions (HELP), as well as with the bill’s numerous
Congressional sponsors in both houses. There are currently 128 co-sponsors
on the House version of the CARE Bill (H.R. 583) and 22 co-sponsors
on the Senate version (S. 1042). More technologist organizations are
participating in the Alliance and we have generated important support
among several physician organizations. The Alliance is poised and ready
to go on the CARE Bills when the second session of the 110th Congress
reconvenes with the Senate on January 15 and the House of Representatives
on January 22. The Alliance is still confident the CARE Bill will be
passed by Congress in 2008, but we will continue to need the support
of SVU members to contact their Members of Congress, especially those
on key committees, regarding support of the CARE Bill in 2008. Thanks
to those SVU members who wrote letters and made phone calls to their
Members of Congress and their Legislative Assistants in 2007 regarding
support for the CARE Bills!
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