WE HAVE A NEW C

The Consistency, Accuracy, Responsibility and Excellence in Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy bill was introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives (HR 583)on January 19^th and into the U.S. Senate (SB 1042) on March 29^th.

www.senate.gov To e-mail your Senator, go to the senate page, search Washington and click on their names

www.house.gov To e-mail your Congressman(woman), go to website, click on Representatives, and click on your Congressman’s(woman’s) name. If you don’t know, put in your zip code and it will let you know who it is.

Sample Letter to Congress

Concerned citizens are working to pass a federal law that would set federally mandated educational and certification standards for personnel performing medical imaging exams and providing radiation therapy treatments. Here is a sample letter you can send to your senator or representative to voice your support for quality patient care. Address your letters to:

Senator ___________ The Honorable ________________
United States Senate U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20515

Dear Senator (Surname) or Dear Representative (Surname):

Most Americans take it for granted that the person taking their x-ray, performing their MRI scan or delivering their radiation therapy is a competent professional. The fact is, poorly trained individuals examine and treat patients in this country every day, because there are no mandated federal standards these employees must meet.

That's why I am asking you to support an important piece of patient-care legislation. The Consistency, Accuracy, Responsibility and Excellence in Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy bill would establish basic educational and credentialing standards for health care personnel who perform our nation's medical imaging examinations and deliver radiation therapy procedures.

The CARE bill would amend the Consumer-Patient Radiation Health and Safety Act of 1981, which gave the states recommendations for licensing radiologic personnel. Because compliance with the 1981 Act was voluntary, only 38 states have enacted laws to license radiographers who perform x-ray exams. Fewer license those performing medical imaging exams. Many of those laws do not match the standards recommended by the federal government.

As a result, thousands of individuals with limited education are performing imaging and radiation therapy procedures on patients every day. Inadequately educated personnel pose a risk to patients, because an improperly performed procedure can lead to misdiagnosis or a delay in treatment.

Congress now has the opportunity to improve the quality of radiologic care by establishing competency standards for those who provide it. I urge you to voice your support for quality health care by voting in favor of the CARE bill.

I look forward to hearing from you soon on this issue.

Sincerely,

If you are writing a Congressman(woman) you should include HR 583 as the CARE Bill number of reference.

If you are writing a Senator you should include S 1042 as the RadCARE Bill number of reference.

For a copy of HR 583 or S 1042 please go to www.thomas.gov. This website will also give a current listing of those legislators that are cosponsors.