Portable Ultrasound Reimbursement Equity Act of 2025
Summary
SB 1168, the Portable Ultrasound Reimbursement Equity Act of 2025, would amend the Social Security Act to expand Medicare coverage and payment rules for portable ultrasound services. The bill adds diagnostic ultrasound tests to the list of covered diagnostic services and directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to create a separate Medicare payment for portable ultrasound transportation and setup services.
The bill requires those payment rules and supplier standards to be substantially similar to the existing Medicare framework for portable X-ray transportation and setup services. It also sets an effective date of January 1, 2027, meaning the changes would apply only to services furnished on or after that date.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would change Medicare law in title XVIII of the Social Security Act by explicitly recognizing ultrasound alongside diagnostic X-ray tests and by creating a new reimbursement category for portable ultrasound delivery logistics. This would affect Medicare beneficiaries who receive portable imaging services, as well as suppliers and providers of portable ultrasound equipment and services, by establishing a separate federal payment mechanism and related compliance requirements modeled on portable X-ray rules.
Sentiment
There is no recorded committee debate or vote history in the provided materials, so no formal sentiment can be measured from hearings or roll calls. Based on the bill text and bipartisan sponsorship by Senators Cornyn and Hassan, the measure appears to be framed as a technical reimbursement equity fix rather than a controversial policy change, suggesting generally pragmatic support for aligning ultrasound payment with existing portable X-ray treatment.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the available transcripts or votes. Potential issues implied by the bill itself could include Medicare spending, whether ultrasound suppliers should be regulated under standards similar to portable X-ray suppliers, and how the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services would implement and price the new separate payment. Any disagreement would likely center on reimbursement policy, administrative burden, or the scope of services eligible for separate payment.
Requires health care professional to order bi-lateral ultrasounds concurrently when ordering mammograms; requires insurers to cover concurrent mammograms and bi-lateral ultrasounds.
Requires health care professionals to order bi-lateral ultrasounds concurrently when ordering mammograms; requires insurers to cover concurrent mammograms and bi-lateral ultrasounds.