[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 106 (Thursday, August 3, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8811-S8812]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. SMITH (for himself, Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Isakson, Mr. 
        DeWine, Mr. Burr, Mr. Bingaman, Ms. Stabenow, and Mr. 
        Menendez):
  S. 3795. A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to 
provide for a two-year moratorium on certain Medicare physician payment 
reductions for imaging services; to the Committee on Finance.
  Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, I rise today with my friend and 
colleague from Oregon, Senator Smith, to introduce the Access to 
Medicare Imaging Act of 2006. This legislation would require a 2-year 
moratorium on the imaging cuts enacted as part of the Deficit Reduction 
Act, pending the outcome of a comprehensive study of Medicare imaging 
utilization and payment by the Government Accountability Office, GAO.
  Each year, millions of Medicare patients receive medical imaging 
services, including x-rays, CT-scans, MRIs, and PET scans, to name just 
a few. Imaging devices allow doctors to more accurately diagnose and 
treat a wide range of human conditions, and patients who receive 
imaging services enjoy the peace of mind that comes from more precise 
diagnoses of disease. It would not be an overstatement to say that 
medical imaging has revolutionized the manner in which physicians 
practice medicine and the manner in which patients receive health care.
  The widespread use of digital imaging equipment allows providers to 
easily exchange images across the Internet, facilitating greater and 
more timely physician consultation and, most people believe, improving 
the quality of care received by the patient. This same technology 
allows greater access to radiology professionals across the country for 
individuals living in rural and other medically underserved areas, 
which is a big deal in West Virginia.
  Consider, if you will, Braxton Memorial Hospital in the small town of 
Gassaway in central West Virginia. Braxton Memorial is a remote, 
critical access hospital without the services of a radiologist. Because 
of imaging technology, trained medical staff at Braxton Memorial can 
take a digital x-ray and, within minutes, send a precise copy to a 
major medical facility in Charleston. There, it is read by a 
radiologist, who then returns a written report by e-mail. A few years 
back this was still science fiction, but now it happens every hour of 
every day across the country.
  As incredible as these services may seem and as important as they are 
to the practice of effective clinical medicine, there is a perception 
that imaging services also come with an increased cost. Over the past 
few years, the use of imaging services by Medicare beneficiaries has 
increased significantly. In fact, MedPAC reported in March 2005 that 
imaging grew at twice the rate of all other physician fee schedule 
services between 1999 and 2003. During that time, MRI and CT procedures 
increased by 15 percent to 20 percent per year on their own.
  In addition to rising costs, MedPAC further reinforced ongoing 
concerns about potential overuse of imaging services and the sudden 
increase of outpatient-based imaging in primary care settings. Citing a 
lack of training and implementation of imaging guidelines, MedPAC 
called upon Congress to direct the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services to define and execute such standards.
  Given the MedPAC report, imaging reimbursement became an easy budget 
target during the reconciliation debate last year. I am concerned, 
however, that the $8 billion in imaging cuts were prematurely added to 
the Deficit Reduction Act. I believe these cuts were arbitrarily 
determined in order to meet a budget target and were not based on sound 
public policy. I am also very concerned about the impact these cuts 
will have on the imaging profession and on Medicare beneficiaries' 
access to imaging services.
  We should not put the health of our seniors at risk in order to 
achieve an arbitrary budget target. So today I join Senators Smith, 
Bingaman, Isakson, Stabenow, DeWine, Menendez, and Burr in calling for 
a 2-year delay of these cuts so that a comprehensive GAO study can be 
completed. A thorough GAO analysis of Medicare reimbursement for 
imaging services will provide greater insight into this important field 
of medical practice and help inform our decisions going forward. I urge 
my colleagues to join with us in supporting this timely legislation.

[[Page S8812]]

  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 3795

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Access to Medicare Imaging 
     Act of 2006''.

     SEC. 2. TWO-YEAR MORATORIUM ON CERTAIN MEDICARE PHYSICIAN 
                   PAYMENT REDUCTIONS FOR IMAGING SERVICES.

       (a) Moratorium.--Subsections (b)(4)(A) and (c)(2)(B)(v)(II) 
     of section 1848 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-
     4), as added by section 5102(b) of the Deficit Reduction Act 
     of 2005, are each amended by striking ``2007'' and inserting 
     ``2009''.
       (b) GAO Study and Report on Imaging Services Furnished 
     Under the Medicare Program.--
       (1) Study.--The Comptroller General of the United States 
     shall conduct a comprehensive study on imaging services 
     furnished under the Medicare program.
       (2) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit 
     to Congress and the Secretary of Health and Human Services a 
     report on the findings and conclusions of the study conducted 
     under paragraph (1) together with recommendations for such 
     legislation and administrative actions as the Comptroller 
     General considers appropriate.
                                 ______