Rahul Bhala
Radiology, including neuroradiology, continues to face reimbursement challenges due to ongoing concerns with the national health care budget. The future of neuroradiology is promising; however, to be successful, we must keep abreast of changing health care policy and continue to demonstrate the value of our specialty to our patients, peers, and payers.
The American Society of Neuroradiology Health Policy Committee (Chair: Robert M. Barr, MD) leads the charge in many of these initiatives and advocacy efforts. The ASNR Health Policy Committee includes three committees; the Economics Committee (Chair: William D. Donovan, MD, MPH), the Standards & Guidelines Committee (Chair: Jacqueline A. Bello, MD, Co-Chair: John E. Jordan, MD), and the Quality, Safety, and Value Committee (Chair: David J. Seidenwurm, MD). These committees are involved in numerous workgroups, meetings, and actions that provide a voice for ASNR members. Two of the largest and most influential meetings that ASNR is involved in are the American Medical Association’s Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC) and the AMA’s Current Procedural Terminology Editorial Panel (CPT). The RUC includes an expert panel of physicians who make recommendations to CMS regarding the value of certain medical procedures. The government, historically, takes into account RUC recommendations when developing the annual physician fee schedule in the final rule. Gregory N. Nicola, MD, is the ASNR advisor to the RUC, and Joshua A. Hirsch, MD, serves as the alternate advisor. The CPT Editorial Panel has the responsibility of maintaining, revising, updating, or modifying the CPT Code Set. Raymond K. Tu, MD, serves as the ASNR CPT Advisor and Jacqueline A. Bello, MD, is the alternate advisor.
ASNR is thankful to have a dedicated group of physicians who advocate for the advancement of our field. Our committees and physician advisors spend endless hours preparing arguments, evidence, and reports in order to be a voice for ASNR. If you are interested in joining any of the