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With the January 1, 2012, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) accreditation mandate quickly approaching, the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (ICAVL, ICAEL, ICANL, ICAMRL, ICACTL, and ICACSF) and the Society of Nuclear Medicine cosponsored a webinar in mid May to address the multitude of questions related to the upcoming deadline. At this time, the requirements of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) apply only to freestanding imaging centers. All nonhospital suppliers of the technical component of advanced diagnostic imaging services, inclusive of nuclear medicine, MRI, CT, and PET, must obtain accreditation as a condition for reimbursement.
Many facilities have concerns about how CMS will be notified that the facility is granted accreditation, to ensure reimbursements. Accredited facilities can rest assured that the designated accrediting organizations will notify CMS of facilities' accreditation through a process of regular data file transfers, scheduled to begin before January 1, 2012. In addition, CMS has reported that it will be providing instructions for a much more streamlined approach that will mean a lower burden on the suppliers related to the enrollment process.
Because accreditation is granted for a period of 3 years, facilities already accredited by the ICANL, ICACTL, or ICAMRL are advised to ensure that their accreditation status will not expire before the 2012...