Hepatitis C outbreak may boost regulation bill

The case of a medical technologist suspected of infecting patients with Hepatitis C could boost momentum for federal legislation requiring medical imaging and radiation therapy workers to meet standards before their employers receive Medicare reimbursements. According to the American Society of Radiologic Technologists, 45 states regulate at least one type of job involving medical imaging or radiation therapy. But education and certification standards vary widely. The organization has been advocating for years for a federal law that would direct the Department of Health and Human Services to create uniform standards that hospitals would have to meet if they receive Medicare payments.