Medicare Access to Radiology Care Act of 2026
The Medicare Access to Radiology Care Act of 2026 would amend the Social Security Act to create Medicare payment coverage for “radiologist assistant services.” The bill defines those services as physician-like services performed by a certified radiologist assistant under the supervision of a radiologist, so long as the services are authorized by state law and no other provider is separately paid for furnishing them. It also specifies that radiologist assistants are certified radiographers recognized by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists.
The legislation is structured to pay for these services through existing Medicare physician payment mechanisms, including payment to the supervising radiologist rather than directly to the assistant in certain settings. It adds radiologist assistant services to Medicare’s covered services list, sets rules for payment in hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers, and clarifies that the bill does not alter payment for the technical component of imaging services, for services personally performed by radiologists, or for services furnished by covered facility settings. The effective date is January 1, 2027.
If enacted, the bill would amend key provisions of Title XVIII of the Social Security Act governing Medicare coverage and reimbursement, including sections 1861, 1833, 1842, and 1848. It would create a new Medicare payment pathway for radiologist assistant services, likely affecting radiology practices, hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, radiologists, and certified radiologist assistants. The bill would also tie Medicare payment to state scope-of-practice authorization and preserve existing payment rules for other imaging and physician services.
The bill appears generally supportive and noncontroversial in its framing, emphasizing patient safety, efficiency, and improved access to radiology care. The findings section presents radiologist assistants as supervised members of the radiology team who do not practice independently and who can help remove barriers to care. No committee transcript or vote data is available, so there is no recorded opposition or amendment debate in the provided materials.
The main policy issue embedded in the bill is how far Medicare should recognize and pay for services performed by radiologist assistants, particularly in facility settings. The bill addresses potential concerns by requiring supervision by a radiologist, limiting payment to services authorized under state law, and stating that radiologist assistants may not interpret imaging studies. Any contention would likely come from questions about reimbursement structure, supervision requirements, and whether expanding Medicare payment could affect existing radiology billing arrangements, but no specific objections are documented in the available record.