Virginia
FISCAL INTERMEDIARIES/MAC - PART A
NATIONAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES, INC. [FI]
www.ngsmedicare.com
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)
The following requirements will be in effect for Part B providers in New York state (except Queens county) November 15, 2008. For other areas under National Government Services jurisdiction the requirements will be effective for all providers November 15, 2010:
- All non-invasive vascular diagnostic studies must be performed under at least one of the following settings: (1) 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 (2) performed by a technician who is certified in vascular technology, or (3) performed in facilities with laboratories accredited in vascular technology.
- Examples of appropriate personnel certification include, but are not limited to the Registered Physician in Vascular Interpretation (RPVI), Registered Vascular Technologist (RVT), the Registered Cardiovascular Technologist (RCVT), Registered Vascular Specialist (RVS), and the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) credentials in vascular technology. Appropriate laboratory accreditation includes the American College of Radiology (ACR) Vascular Ultrasound Program, and the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories (ICAVL).
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
A vascular diagnostic study may be personally performed by a physician or by a technologist. The accuracy of non-invasive vascular diagnostic studies depends on the knowledge, skill and experience of the technologist and physician performing and interpreting the study. Consequently, the physician performing and/or interpreting the study must be capable of demonstrating documented training through recent residency training or post-graduate CME and experience and maintain that documentation for postpayment review.
All non-invasive vascular diagnostic studies, when performed by a technologist, must be performed by a technologist who has demonstrated competency in ultrasound by receiving one of the following credentials in vascular ultrasound technology:
- Registered Vascular Specialist (RVS) provided by Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI).
- Registered Vascular Technologist (RVT) provided by The American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS).
- Vascular Sonographer (VS) provided by The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists, Sonography (ARRT) (S).
Alternately, such studies must be performed in a facility or vascular laboratory accredited by one of the following nationally recognized accreditation organizations*. If a vascular laboratory or facility is accredited, the technologists performing non-invasive cerebrovascular arterial studies in that laboratory are considered to have demonstrated competency in cerebrovascular ultrasound:
- American College of Radiology (ACR) Vascular Ultrasound Accreditation Program.
- Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories (ICAVL).
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