Hawaii
FISCAL INTERMEDIARIES/MAC - PART A
WISCONSIN PHYSICIANS SERVICE INSURANCE CORPORATION [FI]
www.wpsmedicare.com
A. Training and Certification:
1. The accuracy of non-invasive vascular diagnostic studies depends on the knowledge, skill, and experience of the technologist and interpreter. Consequently, the physician performing and/or interpreting the study must be capable of demonstrating documented training and experience and maintain any applicable documentation. A vascular diagnostic study may be personally performed by a physician or a technologist.
The GAO Report to Congressional Committees entitled Medicare Ultrasound Procedures.
Consideration of Payment Reforms and Technician Qualifications Requirements states that “Findings from several peer-reviewed studies, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission,
and ultrasound-related professional organizations support requiring that sonographers either
have credentials or operate in facilities that are accredited, where specific quality standards
apply. In some localities and practice settings, CMS or its contractors have required that
sonographers either be credentialed or work in an accredited facility.” (GAO-07-734)
2. All non-invasive vascular diagnostic studies must be performed under at least one of the
following settings:
a. performed by a physician who is competent in diagnostic vascular
studies or under the general supervision of physicians who have demonstrated minimum
entry level competency by being credentialed in vascular technology, or
b. performed by a technician who is certified in vascular technology, or
c. performed in facilities with laboratories accredited in vascular technology.
3. One or more technologists in each vascular laboratory must be certified by a credentialing board recognized by the Intersocietal Commission for Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories (ICAVL) or the National Council for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) or the International Standards Organization (ISO) 17024).
4. Laboratories may be certified by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories. Certification of the laboratory itself supersedes the requirement for certification of individual technologists."
These requirements will be necessary to payment of services provided beginning 05/01/2010.
MEDICARE CARRIERS/MAC - PART B
"The accuracy of noninvasive vascular diagnostic studies depends on the knowledge, skills and experience of the technologist and physician performing and interpreting the studies. It is recommended that noninvasive vascular studies either be rendered in a physician's office by/or under the direct supervision of persons credentialed in the specific type of procedure being performed or performed in laboratories accredited in the specific type of evaluation. Noninvasive vascular studies done in an IDTF facility or vascular laboratory are subject to the rules and regulations governing the facility."
Appropriate
laboratory accreditation includes the Intersocietal Commission for
the Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories (ICAVL), or the American
College of Radiology (ACR).
close
window |