S. 4624

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4624 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4624

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for payment 
for services of radiologist assistants under the Medicare program, and 
for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

May 21, 2026

Mr. Boozman (for himself and Mr. Lujan) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for payment 
for services of radiologist assistants under the Medicare program, and 
for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Medicare Access to Radiology Care 
Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Radiologist assistants are advanced-level radiographers 
who are critically important members of the radiologist-led 
team.
(2) Radiologist assistants work strictly under the 
supervision of a radiologist to promote high standards of 
patient care by assisting radiologists in the diagnostic and 
interventional imaging environment.
(3) In every jurisdiction authorizing radiologist 
assistants to practice, they are only permitted to furnish 
services when delegated by and under the supervision of a 
radiologist.
(4) Radiologist assistants value their working and 
professional relationships with radiologists and have never 
sought, nor do they seek, the ability to practice independent 
of radiologists.
(5) While radiologist assistants perform various valuable 
professional services and may make and communicate initial 
observations to the radiologist, radiologist assistants are not 
qualified to perform interpretations (preliminary, final, or 
otherwise) of any radiological examination.
(6) Removing barriers to care rendered by radiologist 
assistants under the supervision of a radiologist will provide 
value-based, efficient solutions to improve patient outcomes 
while ensuring patient safety.

SEC. 3. MEDICARE PAYMENT FOR RADIOLOGIST ASSISTANT SERVICES.

(a) Coverage.--Section 1861 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395x) is amended--
(1) in subsection (s)(2)(K)--
(A) in clause (ii), by striking the semicolon at 
the end and inserting ``, and''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new clause:
``(iii) radiologist assistant services (as defined in 
subsection (ooo)(1));''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(ooo) Radiologist Assistant Services; Radiologist Assistant.--
``(1) Radiologist assistant services.--The term 
`radiologist assistant services' means--
``(A) services which would be physicians' services 
if furnished by a physician (as defined in subsection 
(r)(1)) and which are performed by a radiologist 
assistant (as defined in paragraph (2)) under the 
supervision of a radiologist;
``(B) services which the radiologist assistant is 
legally authorized to perform by the State in which the 
services are performed; and
``(C) services in which no other provider (other 
than the supervising radiologist) charges or is paid 
any amount with respect to the furnishing of such 
services.
``(2) Radiologist assistant.--The term `radiologist 
assistant' means a radiographer who is certified by the 
American Registry of Radiologic Technologists as a registered 
radiologist assistant to perform radiologist assistant 
services.
``(3) Rules of construction.--Nothing in this subsection 
shall be construed as affecting--
``(A) coverage of and payment for the technical 
component (including the technical component of a 
global fee) with respect to imaging services under this 
title as in effect before the date of the enactment of 
this subsection;
``(B) the amount of payment made for physicians' 
services under this title when such services are 
personally performed by a radiologist; or
``(C) the amount of payment made under this title 
for services furnished by a covered facility setting 
(as defined in section 1848(a)(10)(B)).''.
(b) Payment in Relation to Physician Fee Schedule.--
(1) Payment level.--Section 1833(a)(1)(O) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(a)(1)(O)) is amended by striking 
``or clinical nurse specialists'' and inserting ``clinical 
nurse specialists, or in the case of services provided in a 
covered facility setting (as defined in section 
1848(a)(10)(B)), radiologist assistants''.
(2) Application of fee schedule in hospital, ambulatory 
surgical center settings.--Section 1848(a) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-4(a)) is amended by adding at the 
end the following new paragraph:
``(10) Application of fee schedule for radiologist 
assistant services in hospital, ambulatory surgical center 
settings.--
``(A) In general.--In the case of radiologist 
assistant services (as defined in section 1861(ooo)(1)) 
furnished in a covered facility setting (as defined in 
subparagraph (B)), payment for such services furnished 
in such setting shall be made to the supervising 
radiologist in the amount determined pursuant to 
section 1833(a)(1)(O).
``(B) Covered facility setting defined.--In this 
paragraph, the term `covered facility setting' means--
``(i) a hospital or critical access 
hospital;
``(ii) an ambulatory surgical center; and
``(iii) such other providers of services as 
the Secretary may specify.''.
(3) Payment to supervising radiologist.--Section 1842(b)(6) 
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395u(b)(6)) is amended 
in the first sentence--
(A) by striking ``and'' before ``(J)''; and
(B) by inserting before the period at the end the 
following: ``, and (K) in the case of services 
described in section 1861(s)(2)(K)(iii) (relating to 
radiologist assistant services), payment shall be made 
to the supervising radiologist''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to services furnished on or after January 1, 2027.
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