Diagnostic Imaging and Insurance Providers

As with any portion of the medical sector, diagnostic imaging is always subject to some sort of decision as far as insurance coverage is concerned. Any procedure such as a CT Scan, MRI, PET Scan and X-Ray is often questioned by insurance providers as well as Medicare and Medicaid. Very recently a decision came down on PET Scans for solid tumors from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The decision that was made may well prove favorable for patients and practitioners as it increases the number of patient scans from one to three scans.

It seems like rather than rely on continuing to gather data before sending a patient for a scan, in order to discover if there is a possibility of cancer, this decision actually helps the process and the patient’s chances for early detection. This is the type of decision that helps the industry because it will ultimately encourage a stronger push in research and development, which may in turn help produce a stronger, more effective incarnation of the scanning procedure in the future. This decision has been met with great approval, at least from the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI).

There is a great deal of motivation to further improve the way diagnostic imaging is used especially when dealing with complex and hard to detect conditions. Cancer on its own right can sometimes be very difficult to detect. Once detected, it’s sometimes very difficult to monitor it properly. One physician was quoted as saying “Monitoring metastatic prostate cancer therapy can be difficult. However, in some indications PET can provide useful information for physicians in creating an effective treatment plan,” which is a clear example of just what this type of decision does for patients.

This type of decision seems to be a step in the right direction and hopefully, as time passes, it will prove greater benefits overall.

If you have any questions about CT Scans, or imaging procedures in general please feel free to call us. 

Posted By: 

Charla Hurst General
Operations Manager

Charla@ClermontRadiology.com 
352-241-6100 
www.ClermontRadiology.com

References:

http://interactive.snm.org/index.cfm?PageID=12728

http://www.cancerpetregistry.org/news.htm

http://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/details/nca-decision-memo.aspx?NCAId=263