How Do The Midterm Elections Affect Radiology?

The beginning of November marked the midterm elections for the federal government, which saw the Republicans gain control of the Senate and securing full sway in the U.S. Congress. But how does the new GOP majority affect radiology going forward?

Back in January 2014, the American College of Radiology expressed its non-partisan stance on the Congressional elections. According to Cynthia Moran, assistant executive director of the ACR, the organization is committed to working with members of both parties who are willing to hear out issues with the state of medical imaging in the U.S. Some of these problems include reducing patient exposure to radiation, cutting clinical expenses from unnecessary scans and developing appropriateness criteria for ordering exams.

Currently, the ACR encourages its members at local levels to forge positive relationships with their states' representatives in hope of promoting beneficial outcomes for the health care industry. Providing optimal digital imaging is a non-partisan issue, as all patients deserve access to comprehensive scans with innovative equipment and techniques, such as breast tomosynthesis. Yet, the elections could have a direct impact on radiology as politicians from both sides focus on the rollout of the Affordable Care Act.

In addition, the ACR is looking for a Congressional repeal of Medicare's floundering Sustainable Growth Rate legislation. The SGR repeal bills would include stipulations requiring ordering physicians to consult appropriateness criteria using clinical decision support tools for diagnostic imaging. They would also place caps on reimbursement reductions for any services that impact radiology.

The midterms' potential impact on radiology
Now that the elections have ended, the Republicans maintain complete control over Congress. According to the Radiology Business Management Association, there are several likely developments that could arise due to the voting results, AuntMinnie.com reported.

The GOP-controlled Senate means there will be new chairmen of the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means committees. Along with the House Energy and Commerce Committee, these groups oversee Medicare and the SGR bills. The ACR has a longstanding relationship with Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), who is poised to become the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. This could lead to major Medicare reforms that benefit radiology and reimbursements for physicians.

When it comes to the ACA, it is likely that the Republicans will face stiff opposition from Democrats to repeal or degrade the legislation. Even if they persuade a few Democrats to vote in their favor, the Republicans face a Democratic president who has the power to veto bills he does not agree with and is invested in the ACA. Although a full repeal is unlikely, the GOP will probably make efforts to influence small fixes and tweaks to the bill.

With Republicans in control, health care provisions – except the ACA – are likely to be placed on the back burner for most of 2015. Instead, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is expected to issue a series of rulings, including whether Medicare will cover low-dose CT screening for lung cancer. For now, radiologists must sit and wait to see what happens in Congress over the coming months.

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