Update from AANP: Ordering Portable X-rays

Ordering Portable X-ray Confusion Soon to be Eliminated

Many members have been affected by this obscur law that popped up when a fraud investigation found too many portable xrays being done by others than a physician. Its one of those dated laws pre-ARNP care.  CMS has publicly announced its goal to eliminate the recent confusion regarding the ordering of portable x-rays by nurse practitioners.  Under rules promulgated in the late 1990s, nurse practitioners have been ordering all diagnostic tests for their patients without restriction of payment for the service.  Recently, the ability to order portable x-rays for Medicare patients came into question due to a lack of clarity regarding language from an earlier time period that limited ordering these x-rays to MDs and DOs. CMS has announced its intent to remove this limitation in the newly proposed rules to be implemented in 2013. Questions may be directed to 202-966-6414 or emailed to dcoffice@aanp.org