The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, chaired by Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA), on March 13th approved the CARE Act (S. 1042). The bill now moves to the Senate floor for a vote. There are 24 co-sponsors of the CARE Act in the Senate. The Alliance that is pushing the passage of the CARE Act, which includes SVU, also will be talking with members of the Senate Finance Committee, chaired by Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), as they will now be charged with ensuring that there is a financial incentive for the HHS Secretary to enforce the credentialing and quality standards to be developed by CMS. The House version of the CARE Act (H.R. 583) is co-sponsored by 132 Representatives. The goals of enacting the CARE bill include increasing quality and decreasing costs of medical imaging and radiation therapy through personnel standards (credentialing and education).
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