Local radiology benefits management firm MedSolutions says that Medicare could save up to $18 billion over the next ten years by implementing some kind of radiology benefit management plan... one in particular? The Medicare program could save between $11.6 and $18 billion in diagnostic imaging costs over the next 10 years by implementing a radiology benefit management (RBM) program similar to those used in the private sector. Currently, 90 percent of commercial health plans use RBM programs, saving billions of dollars. According to an independent analysis released today by MedSolutions (www.medsolutions.com), Medicare could reap similar financial benefits.

The report suggests potential savings associated with RBMs are much greater than projected earlier this year in the President's 2010 budget proposal. In that much discussed budget, a savings of only $260 million was estimated over a ten-year period.