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IAC Newsletter

IAC In The Spotlight:
UnitedHealth Group Discusses
Quality and IAC Accreditation During ACC
Summer 2008

At the recent American College of Cardiology's 57th Annual Scientific Session held in Chicago, Reed V. Tuckson, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief of Medical Affairs for UnitedHealth Group addressed the topic of accreditation as part of a panel discussion entitled, "Imaging Experts Unplugged: Select Cases With Discussions On Appropriateness, Quality and Payer Perspectives."

Speaking on behalf of UnitedHealth Group, Dr. Tuckson spoke specifically about the significance of laboratory accreditation, stating, "We believe in quality performance, measurement and feedback."

He stressed, "Quality measures are key. [UnitedHealthcare] only wants the right procedures in the hands of the best labs and the best interpreters of that information. At the end of the day, it is extremely important that we use the Intersocietal [Accreditation] Commission's criteria, and others, to make sure the right folks are doing this. We will not pay for garbage studies. At the end of the day, quality measures are very important."

Through regular communication with UnitedHealthcare, the IAC continues to be informed that the accreditation requirement for all freestanding facilities and physicians offices that use a CMS 1500 claim form and are performing CT, CTA, MRI, MRA, PET, Nuclear Medicine, Nuclear Cardiology and Echocardiography becomes effective in third quarter of 2008. Updated information will be posted on the IAC divisions' websites, as it becomes available from UnitedHealthcare.