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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
2007
FEDERAL
The CARE bill
was passed unanimously by the U.S. Senate on December 6, 2006 just
before adjournment of the 109th session. The bill then
went to the House of Representatives for action, but Congress
adjourned in the early morning hours and the bill died for lack of
time.
The CARE bill
will again be introduced in the 110th Congress which will
start in January 2007. The immediate goal is to get the CARE bills
reintroduced in both the House and Senate as soon as possible and then
build on the momentum that was created in the 109th
Congress. The bill had bipartisan support with 135 Co- Sponsors in
the House. There was no opposition in the Senate vote.
The bill was
designed to meet minimum education and credentialing standards for
medical imaging technologists, radiation therapists, and medical
physicists. The standards would have to be met by each state to
receive reimbursement for medical examinations or radiation therapy
treatments performed on patients covered by Medicare, Medicaid or any
program under the jurisdiction of the U. S. Department of Health and
Human Services. At this time South Dakota does not meet the proposed
legislation standards and would have to devise a plan for educating
and testing individuals to meet these standards or healthcare
facilities would risk loosing their reimbursement.
Senator Thune,
Senator Johnson, and Representative Herseth are all Co-Sponsors of the
CARE bill and understand the importance of quality healthcare for all
the residents of South Dakota.
STATE
Legislative
activities on the state level are under discussion by the SDSRT Board
of Directors. In the 2006 legislative session a proposed bill
outlining minimum education and competency testing for all individuals
using ionizing radiation for medical purposes was introduced by
Representative Phyllis Heineman under the direction of the SDSRT. In
order to meet the guidelines of the CARE bill and to promote quality
healthcare for all residents of South Dakota, S.D. will need necessary
education and testing requirements in place in order to receive
reimbursement for medical imaging examinations. The State bill is
designed NOT to put anyone out of a job or any facility out of
business but to educate individuals while currently working on the job
and promote quality healthcare for all residents. After lengthy
testimony the bill was tabled in committee.
In the upcoming
2007 legislative session, the SDSRT Board of Directors has voted to
postpone introducing the state bill. Instead, the board will focus on
working with the ASRT, S.D. technologists, hospitals, CEO’s,
educational facilities, program directors and healthcare organizations
to inform them and devise a workable plan that will meet or exceed the
guidelines which will be put forth by the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services.
Please feel
free to contact any SDSRT Board Member or myself regarding these
legislative issues.
Sharon
Wartenbee, RTR, BD, CDT
Legislative
Chairperson
House Roster
Senate Roster
South Dakota Legislature by District 2004-2005
Map
Legislative Talking Points
Radiology Technology Bill
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