CMS Sends Accreditation Notice to Providers
July 28, 2010
The Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (MIPAA) requires the accreditation of laboratories and Independent Diagnostic Testing Facilities that furnish the technical component of advanced diagnostic imaging services by approved accreditation organizations by January 1, 2012.
The letter transcribed below will be sent to all enrolled suppliers (individuals, groups, and IDTFs) that have billed for advanced diagnostic imaging services within the past six months.
Dear Physician/Non-Physician Practitioner/IDTF owner:
In accordance with Section 135(a) of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA), suppliers, including but not limited to physicians, non-physician practitioners, and Independent Diagnostic Testing Facilities that furnish the technical component (TC) of advanced diagnostic imaging services must be accredited by January 1, 2012 in order to continue to furnish these services to Medicare beneficiaries.
Our records indicate that you have furnished advanced diagnostic imaging procedures such as diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and nuclear medicine imaging such as positron emission tomography (PET) within the last six months. If you are not accredited by one of the organizations shown below by January 1, 2012, you will not be eligible to bill the Medicare program for advanced diagnostic imaging services. This letter requests that you take the necessary action to become accredited by the January 1, 2012 deadline. Since we expect it can take up to nine months from the time you initiate the accreditation process to completion, we urge you to begin the accreditation process for advanced diagnostic imaging services as soon as possible.
MIPPA expressly excludes from the accreditation requirement x-ray, ultrasound, and fluoroscopy procedures. The law also excludes the CMS accreditation requirement diagnostic and screening mammography which are already subject to quality oversight by the Food and Drug Administration under the Mammography Quality Standards Act.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved three national accreditation organizations – the American College of Radiology, the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission, and The Joint Commission – to provide accreditation services for suppliers of the TC of advanced diagnostic imaging procedures. The accreditation will apply only to the suppliers of the images themselves, and not to the physician interpreting the image. All accreditation organizations have quality standards that address the safety of the equipment as well as the safety of the patients and staff. The accrediting organization that issues your accreditation will notify Medicare once your accreditation is complete and approved.
To obtain additional information about the accreditation process, please contact the accreditation organizations shown below:
American College of Radiology (ACR)
1891 Preston White Drive
Reston, VA 20191-4326
1-800-770-0145
www.acr.org
Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC)
6021 University Boulevard, Suite 500
Ellicott City, MD 21043
1-800-838-2110
www.intersocietal.org
The Joint Commission (TJC)
Ambulatory Care Accreditation Program
One Renaissance Boulevard
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
1-630-792-5286
www.jointcommission.org/AdvImaging2012
