Fifty-seven members of Congress have written a letter to President Barack Obama touting the benefits of medical imaging, urging him to consider the "value of these life-saving technologies." The June 11 letter mentions X-ray, computed tomography (CT), radiation therapy, diagnostic ultrasound, and nuclear medicine, including positron emission tomography (PET) and medical resonance imaging (MRI) as examples of cutting-edge health technologies that have helped improve the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
The letter asks Obama to reject attempts to cut imaging services or restrict coverage to medical imaging services in his quest to reform the nation's health care system. The bipartisan letter notes that medical imaging can reduce health care costs and ensure "high-quality clinical results" for patients.
"Medical imaging often reduces the need for costly medical services and invasive surgical procedures,"the letter states. "Overall, we know that every $1 spent on imaging services correlates to approximately $3 in total health care savings."
Congress members cited a New England Journal of Medicine article that proclaimed medical imaging as one of 11 developments that changed the face of clinical medicine. Attempts by policymakers to restrict coverage of medical imaging services would only cause the level of patient care to deteriorate and drive up the costs of health care, the letter charged.
Legislators also noted that Congress has been working to reduce unnecessary scans. The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008, signed into law on July 15, 2008, mandated the development of "appropriate criteria for imaging services as well as accreditation requirements for facilities and providers.
The letter urged the Obama administration to "move forward with the continued implementation of these important policies and reject arbitrary cuts to imaging services or changes to the utilization rate assumption."