ROOT Act

Key Points

• This bill changes how doctors order medical scans like MRIs or CT scans for people on Medicare. It aims to make sure these expensive tests are actually needed by requiring doctors to check a special software system before ordering them.
• Small medical offices and doctors in rural areas would be exempt from these rules. This helps smaller clinics that might not have the money or staff to keep up with complex new software requirements.
• Common screening tests like mammograms and lung cancer checks are also exempt. This ensures that patients can still get these important preventive screenings without extra paperwork getting in the way.
• The bill moves the paperwork burden away from the doctors who actually perform the scans. Instead, the software companies will be responsible for sending the data to the government to show that the rules were followed.
• Starting in 2026, the government will track which doctors are not using the required software. Doctors who consistently skip this step could eventually be forced to get special permission from Medicare before they can order any more scans.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.