News
Molecular Imaging News
November 18, 2005
National Oncologic PET Registry (NOPR)
The SNM was notified by CMS officials that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) cleared the Paperwork Reduction Act filing for the National Oncologic PET Registry (NOPR). CMS is now in the final clearance process for the contract with affiliated organizations. The SNM, AMI, ACR and ASCO are hopeful the process will be implemented in January 2006. Attached is more information from ACRIN. Beginning on December 5th PET facilities may go to the ACRIN web site and download the registration form. It is not necessary to attend RSNA.
Facility Registration Begins at RSNA
The NOPR is pleased to announce the launch of PET facility registration on November 27, 2005 at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in Chicago. Physicians and administrators attending the conference can complete the pre- registration form at the ACR Booth (#3950 South Building, Hall A) and have the balance of the registration materials emailed to their facility’s designated contact. Booth visitors also can sign up to receive PET Registry updates and preview the NOPR website.
Registry Status
Although the NOPR will begin the PET facility registration process at RSNA, PET centers cannot enter patients into the registry until final approval is received from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). It is hoped that this approval will be awarded by the end of 2005. Meanwhile, the NOPR Web site will be activated on December 5 and it will provide access to facility registration forms, sample data collection forms, information for clinicians and more.
NOPR Background
The National Oncologic PET Registry (NOPR) was developed in response to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposal to expand coverage for FDG-PET to include cancers and indications not presently eligible for Medicare reimbursement. Medicare reimbursement for these cancers will be available if the patient’s referring physician and the provider submit data to a clinical registry to assess the impact of PET on cancer patient management. The NOPR is implementing this registry for CMS. The NOPR is sponsored by the Academy of Molecular Imaging (AMI) and is managed by the American College of Radiology (ACR) through the American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN).
Any PET facility that is approved to bill CMS for either technical or global PET charges can apply to participate in the NOPR. Sites are not required to have ACR or ICANL accreditation to participate.
When a registered PET facility enters a patient on the NOPR, the patient’s referring physician will be asked to complete both pre- and post-PET data collection forms that ask several questions regarding the patient’s planned management. The PET facility will enter this information and a copy of the PET scan report into the NOPR database via a Web form. If the PET facility completes the data collection process in a timely fashion, the facility can bill Medicare for the procedure.
The NOPR is endorsed by the American College of Radiology (ACR), the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and the Society for Nuclear Medicine (SNM).
Starting December 5, visit the NOPR Web site at www.cancerPETregistry.org
