Payer Corner:
Start Your UHC Imaging Accreditation Process Today
Published on Tue Apr 10, 2007
Next spring will be too late American College of Radiology accreditation isn't just for dedicated imaging centers. Effective March 1, 2008, UnitedHealthcare will require either American College of Radiology (ACR) or Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) accreditation as a condition for reimbursement if you are a freestanding facility or a physician office performing outpatient imaging studies and you bill on CMS-1500. UnitedHealthcare will recognize the ACR and the IAC accreditation programs for CT, CTA, MRI, MRA, nuclear medicine/cardiology, PET, and echocardiography. Whether this includes CT simulations is unclear, but it will definitely include all diagnostic scanning procedures. Experts warn: Apply for accreditation by July 2007 to beat the expected backlog and ensure approval by the March 1, 2008, deadline.