Proposal To Curb Medicare’s Use Of Imaging Sparks Furor

Even before its official release, a new proposal to curb the overuse of costly MRIs and other advanced imaging in Medicare is sparking a furor among physician and patient groups. The battle shows how hard it is to make even small changes in the sprawling program for the elderly – much less overhaul it.

The recommendation, expected from a congressional advisory group Wednesday, would require some physicians and their patients to get pre-approval from Medicare for advanced imaging services, such as MRIs, CT scans and nuclear medicine. The proposal would apply to doctors deemed to have high rates of inappropriate use of such imaging.

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