REDUCTION IN PAYMENTS FOR RADIOLOGY SERVICES.

SEC. 6105. REDUCTION IN PAYMENTS FOR RADIOLOGY SERVICES. (a) Fee Schedules for Radiologist Services Reduced.—Section 1834(b)(4) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(b)(4)) is amended— (1) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) and (D) as subparagraphs (D) and (E), and (2) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new subparagraph: “(C) 1990 fee schedules.—For radiologist services (other than portable X-ray services) furnished under this part during 1990, after March 31 of such year, the conversion factors used under this subsection shall be 96 percent of the conversion factors that applied under this subsection as of December 31, 1989.”. (b) Special Rule for Nuclear Medicine Physicians.—In applying section 1834(b) of the Social Security Act with respect to nuclear medicine services furnished by a physician for whom nuclear medicine services account for at least 80 percent of the total amount of charges made under part B of title XVIII of the Social Security Act— (1) during 1990, after April 1, 1990, there shall be substituted for the fee schedule otherwise applicable a fee schedule based on the fee schedule computed under such section (without regard to this subsection) and % on 101 percent of the 1988 prevailing charge for such services; and (2) during 1991, there shall be substituted for the fee schedule otherwise applicable a fee schedule based % on the fee schedule computed under such section (without regard to this subsection) and ⅓ on 101 percent of the 1988 prevailing charge for such services. (c) Interventional Radiologists.—In applying section 1834(b) of the Social Security Act to radiologist services furnished in 1990, the exception for “split billing” set forth at section 5262J of the Medicare Carriers Manual shall apply to services furnished in 1990 in the same manner and to the same extent as the exception applied to services furnished in 1989.