As summer begins, most state legislatures have adjourned their 2024 legislative sessions. The American College of Radiology® (ACR®) tracks hundreds of bills each legislative session. Here are a few that were signed into law.
Breast Health
Indiana House Bill (HB) 1058 was signed into law by Gov. Eric Holcomb. The new law requires the board to adopt rules or protocol establishing the following: (A) An education program to be used to teach women about their breast density, including information about breast density classifications set forth in IC 25-22.5-13.2-1 and; (B) Standards for providing an annual screening or diagnostic test for a woman who is at least 40 years of age and whose breast and connective tissue in comparison to fat in the breast is determined to be dense. The new law goes into effect July 1.
Maryland HB 1259 was signed into law by Gov. Wes Moore. This measure expands the current prohibition on cost sharing for coverage of supplemental breast examinations to include image-guided breast biopsy. Additionally, the current mandated health insurance benefit for coverage of recommended follow-up diagnostic imaging to assist in the diagnosis of lung cancer is clarified to include lung cancer screening. Such coverage may not be subject to a prior authorization requirement. The bill takes effect Jan. 1, and applies to all policies, contracts, and health benefit plans issued, delivered or renewed in the state on or after that date.
Oklahoma’s HB 4152 was signed into law by Gov. Kevin Stitt. This new law, which is effective Nov. 1, changes the breast density notification language to align with the federal regulation. All healthcare facilities that perform mammography examinations must include in the summary of the mammography report information that identifies the patient's individual breast density as dense or not dense. If the patient elects to receive the summary of the mammography report by email and provides an email address, the summary must be sent that way.
Certificate of Need
Tennessee HB 2269 was signed by Gov. Bill Lee. This regulation removes the prohibition on providing MRI services or increasing MRI machines without a certificate of need in certain counties and allows PET scan and linear accelerator services outside named counties. Providers must notify the commission in writing when initiating MRI services, and they must specify if they will serve patients under age 14 more than five times a year. PET scan service providers must become accredited by ACR within two years of licensure or face sanctions.
Use of Ultrasound
Washington Senate Bill 6151 was signed by Gov. Jay Inslee. This new law, effective June 6, mandates that an ultrasound or a similar medical imaging device or procedure may only be provided by a licensed healthcare provider acting within their scope of practice, or a person acting under the supervision of a licensed healthcare provider where all actions performed are within the supervising healthcare provider's scope of practice.
ACR partners with Fiscal Note, a legislation and regulation tracking service, to provide continuous, comprehensive updates on radiology and healthcare-related legislation. To stay current on state legislative developments relevant to radiology, view the ACR policy map.
ACR always looks for members’ advocacy efforts to highlight. If you would like to highlight someone for their advocacy work, share your advocacy experience, or share pictures from your recent state advocacy day, contact Eugenia Brandt, ACR Senior Government Affairs Director, or Dillon Harp, ACR Senior Government Relations Specialist