MINNEAPOLIS, May 23, 2008—The MMA Imaging Task Force, created in the fall of 2006 by the MMA Board of Trustees, has issued its final report on high-tech imaging, its cost and utilization, along with a series of conclusions.

MINNEAPOLIS, March 10, 2008—The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota Medical Association adopted policies at its March 8 meeting on the controversial subject of imaging services.

MINNEAPOLIS, 8:05 a.m. CST, March 30, 2007 -- The Minnesota Medical Association has sent a letter to Medica citing complaints it has received from member physicians about the high-tech imaging utilization reviews Medica has required since January. The major complaints include: the amount of time the reviews require; administrative burdens; difficulties dealing with Medica’s third-party contractor HealthHelp; and the inconvenience caused to patients by delays.

MINNEAPOLIS, 3:35 p.m. CST, March 15, 2007 -- The Minnesota Medical Association has created a list of resources to help physicians move toward the use of evidence-based decision support tools when ordering high-technology imaging procedures for patients.

MINNEAPOLIS, 5:10 a.m. CST March 14, 2007 -- An MMA bill was introduced Monday in the Legislature that will place a moratorium on high-technology medical imaging notification programs until December of next year.

MINNEAPOLIS, 9:04 a.m. CST, March 7, 2007 -- An international study looking at CT scans of current and former smokers for lung cancer found that screening did not reduce deaths from lung cancer.

MINNEAPOLIS, 8:00 a.m. CST, March 1 --The Minnesota Medical Association (MMA), has asked the Commerce Commissioner to investigate potentially unlawful activities of HealthHelp, a company engaged by Medica to provide high-tech imaging “consultation” services, and has recommended that a cease-and-desist order be issued until the investigation is completed. The MMA is a professional association for physicians with more than 11,000 members throughout the state.

MINNEAPOLIS, 2:19 p.m. CST, February 21 -- In a recent letter asking Minnesota health plans to withdraw their high-tech imaging requirements, the MMA recommended that health care providers rapidly move towards implementing decision tools like these evidence-based clinical practice guidelines.

MINNEAPOLIS, Updated 9:26 a.m. CST February 1, 2007 -- The MMA on Jan. 30 called for an end to new requirements that physicians “consult” with a third party vendor before ordering high-tech imaging procedures, such as CT, MRI, and PET scans. The MMA asked Medica to withdraw its program, which has provoked outrage among physicians, and asked the other third-party payers to drop their plans and work with the MMA to understand the issue and address any problems that might exist.

MINNEAPOLIS, Updated 2:13 p.m. CST January 12, 2007 -- Controversy is heating up over Medica’s new requirement for a consultation before doctors can order high tech imaging. Park Nicollet Health Services has sent a letter to Medica informing them that they are opting out of the program, and instead will implement a computer-based system to assist doctors with imaging decisions that should be available by summer.