Imaging advocates blasted the proposal shortly after its release, saying it's "unconscionable that radiology is again on the chopping block."   

Payment cuts in Medicare, rising costs and administrative burdens all are pushing providers to seek sales, the AMA said. 

BCBS last month suggested curtailing coverage for peripheral nerve stimulation devices, used to relieve pain, which drew ire from thousands of physicians. 

Such ownership changes were associated with an 8.2% price increase in radiology and statistically significant upticks across 8 of the 10 specialties examined. 

Merk & Co. paid the largest amount to the specialty between 2017-2021, followed by Hologic and Pfizer, researchers wrote recently.  

Among Medicare beneficiaries, there was a marked drop in the delivery of percutaneous renal artery angioplasty, used to treat a narrowed artery, between 2010 and 2018.

CMS intends to soon propose a new national coverage determination that would loosen restrictions around PET payment, according to a report published Monday. 

H.R. 4286 also would expand coverage for tobacco cessation in the federal payment program, including counseling and medication-assisted treatment.