SENATE PASSES BILL TO SET MEDICAL IMAGING STANDARDS

The Senate passed Sen. Mike Enzi's (R-Wyo.) "Consumer Assurance of Radiologic Excellence Act," S.2322, by unanimous consent Dec. 6. The bill aims to ensure safer, more accurate and less costly technical services for medical imaging examinations.

The bill amends the Public Health Service Act to require the HHS secretary to establish standards assuring the safety and accuracy of medical imaging examinations or radiation therapy.

The standards will apply to any personnel who perform, plan, evaluate or verify patient doses for medical imaging examinations and radiation therapies. However, physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants are exempt from the standards.

The secretary is responsible for ensuring that personnel, individual state programs and any other programs under his authority comply with the established standards.

Additionally, the secretary can create alternative standards for rural and underserved areas to guarantee access to quality medical imaging.