The Imaging Alliance – www.ImagingAlliance.org – is a newly formed alliance created for the purpose of protecting patients’ access to quality medical imaging in Texas.
We are concerned that members of the Texas Legislature are being given misleading information regarding the subject of medical imaging.
Recently the so-called Coalition for Ethical Imaging (CEI) was formed by the Texas Radiological Society to promote legislation that would severely restrict Texas patients’ access to quality medical imaging.
The radiologists have acknowledged that the Texas Association of Health Plans has joined their efforts to restrict patients’ rights, but we urge them to be equally transparent about their full agenda, which we believe is detrimental to our patients and your constituents. Based on their past actions, we believe that the radiologists will ultimately seek the prohibition of imaging from all physicians except radiologists. Their legislation would ultimately lead to the unfortunate result of ending your constituents’ access to quality imaging by their cardiologist, neurologist, gastroenterologist, urologist, internist and every other physician.
In 2005 and 2007 their legislation was soundly defeated. In 2008 the Texas Medical Association’s House of Delegates addressed the radiologists’ issue and overwhelming rejected the radiologists’ proposal to limit the ability of most physicians to provide medical imaging for their patients.
Accordingly, we feel compelled to express our opposition to their efforts. The purpose of this introductory alert is to briefly inform you of the past legislative efforts, the express opposition by the physician community and our desire to discuss any imaging issues and correct any misinformation that is provided.
Physician members of the Imaging Alliance will be in Austin during the next Texas Medical Association’s First Tuesday, March 3, 2009. We hope to have the opportunity to discuss this subject with each of you before you make any decision to support legislation being promoted by the radiologists.
Please do not hesitate to contact Jaime Capelo, lobbyist for the Texas Chapter of the American College of Cardiologists, directly to get more information prior to March 3rd. Mr. Capelo can be reached at (512) 469-9898 or at jc@capelolaw.com.
Members: Texas Chapter, American College of Cardiology; Texas Society for Gastroenterology and Endoscopy; Texas Urological Society; Texas Neurological Society; Texas Orthopaedic Association
