Medicare payment for radiologist assistant services

(a) Coverage Section 1861 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x) is amended— (1) in subsection (s)(2)(K)— (A) in clause (ii), by striking the semicolon at the end and inserting, and; and (B) by adding at the end the following new clause: (iii) radiologist assistant services (as defined in subsection (ooo)(1));; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection: (ooo) Radiologist assistant services; radiologist assistant (1) Radiologist assistant services The term radiologist assistant services means— (A) services which would be physicians’ services if furnished by a physician (as defined in subsection (r)(1)) and which are performed by a radiologist assistant (as defined in paragraph (2)) under the supervision of a radiologist; (B) services which the radiologist assistant is legally authorized to perform by the State in which the services are performed; and (C) services in which no other provider (other than the supervising radiologist) charges or is paid any amount with respect to the furnishing of such services. (2) Radiologist assistant The term radiologist assistant means a radiographer who is certified by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists as a registered radiologist assistant to perform radiologist assistant services. (3) Rules of construction Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as affecting— (A) coverage of and payment for the technical component (including the technical component of a global fee) with respect to imaging services under this title as in effect before the date of the enactment of this subsection; (B) the amount of payment made for physicians’ services under this title when such services are personally performed by a radiologist; or (C) the amount of payment made under this title for services furnished by a covered facility setting (as defined in section 1848(a)(10)(B)).. (b) Payment in relation to physician fee schedule (1) Payment level Section 1833(a)(1)(O) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(a)(1)(O)) is amended by striking or clinical nurse specialists and inserting clinical nurse specialists, or in the case of services provided in a covered facility setting (as defined in section 1848(a)(10)(B)), radiologist assistants. (2) Application of fee schedule in hospital, ambulatory surgical center settings Section 1848(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–4(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (10) Application of fee schedule for radiologist assistant services in hospital, ambulatory surgical center settings (A) In general In the case of radiologist assistant services (as defined in section 1861(ooo)(1)) furnished in a covered facility setting (as defined in subparagraph (B)), payment for such services furnished in such setting shall be made to the supervising radiologist in the amount determined pursuant to section 1833(a)(1)(O). (B) Covered facility setting defined In this paragraph, the term covered facility setting means— (i) a hospital or critical access hospital; (ii) an ambulatory surgical center; and (iii) such other providers of services as the Secretary may specify.. (3) Payment to supervising radiologist Section 1842(b)(6) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395u(b)(6)) is amended in the first sentence— (A) by striking and before (J); and (B) by inserting before the period at the end the following:, and (K) in the case of services described in section 1861(s)(2)(K)(iii) (relating to radiologist assistant services), payment shall be made to the supervising radiologist. (c) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall apply to services furnished on or after January 1, 2027.