TY - JOUR
T1 - Changes in CT utilization between 1981 and 1984
T2 - Implications for medicare payment for MR imaging under the prospective payment system
AU - Steinberg, E. P.
AU - Anderson, G. F.
AU - Steinwachs, D. M.
PY - 1987
Y1 - 1987
N2 - In the absence of data on current or likely patterns of use of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, use of computed tomography (CT) at one institution in 1981 and 1984 was analyzed to provide data relevant to current federal deliberations regarding Medicare payment for inpatient MR imaging. Between 1981 and 1984 inpatient CT utilization increased 59%, primarily due to a 265% increase in body CT. In 1984 inpatients who underwent at least one CT procedure were as likely to undergo more than one procedure as to undergo only one. CT procedures were performed in a high proportion of diagnosis-related groups (DRGs), with more than one-half of head CT procedures performed in nonneurologic DRGs. Given the similarities between clinical applications of CT and MR imaging, these findings regarding CT utilization have the following implications: (a) a delay in recalibration of DRG payment rates may not take account of expected growth in utilization of MR imaging, (b) a DRG 'add-on' for MR imaging should reflect the likelihood that more than one MR imaging procedure will be performed in many hospitalizations, and (c) adjustments in DRG payments for MR imaging should not be limited to the 35 neurologic DRGs.
AB - In the absence of data on current or likely patterns of use of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, use of computed tomography (CT) at one institution in 1981 and 1984 was analyzed to provide data relevant to current federal deliberations regarding Medicare payment for inpatient MR imaging. Between 1981 and 1984 inpatient CT utilization increased 59%, primarily due to a 265% increase in body CT. In 1984 inpatients who underwent at least one CT procedure were as likely to undergo more than one procedure as to undergo only one. CT procedures were performed in a high proportion of diagnosis-related groups (DRGs), with more than one-half of head CT procedures performed in nonneurologic DRGs. Given the similarities between clinical applications of CT and MR imaging, these findings regarding CT utilization have the following implications: (a) a delay in recalibration of DRG payment rates may not take account of expected growth in utilization of MR imaging, (b) a DRG 'add-on' for MR imaging should reflect the likelihood that more than one MR imaging procedure will be performed in many hospitalizations, and (c) adjustments in DRG payments for MR imaging should not be limited to the 35 neurologic DRGs.
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U2 - 10.1148/radiology.165.1.3114824
DO - 10.1148/radiology.165.1.3114824
M3 - Article
C2 - 3114824
AN - SCOPUS:0023232171
SN - 0033-8419
VL - 165
SP - 279
EP - 281
JO - RADIOLOGY
JF - RADIOLOGY
IS - 1
ER -