Lake in the Hills, Il. – June 20, 2016 - 20/20 Imaging, a division of Konica Minolta Medical Imaging and leader in small market imaging with nearly 4,500 installations across the country, announced today the publication of a technical paper to help podiatry practices transition from film or Computed Radiography (CR) to Digital Radiography (DR) in light of expected reimbursement penalties for film or CR users over the next several years. The federal Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016, or the Omnibus Bill, includes a number of health-related provisions including a reduction in Medicare payments for imaging exams performed on analog X-ray and CR equipment.

As members of the California Podiatric Medical Association meet in Anaheim, Calif., June 23-26 for the Western Foot and Ankle Conference, attendees are seeking knowledge about key clinical and legislative developments in the field and how imaging and IT solutions can drive efficiency.

"Podiatry practices still relying on analog or CR imaging technology are going to be significantly impacted in the form of reimbursement penalties due to the recent Omnibus Bill, presenting the perfect opportunity for practices to consider the complete move to digital," says Bob Salzman, President, 20/20 Imaging. "The educational guide from 20/20 Imaging and Konica Minolta will help podiatry offices seamlessly transition to DR in an organized and cost-effective manner."
Provisions of the Omnibus Bill include a 20 percent reduction in the technical component reimbursement associated with film X-rays beginning next year. Technical component reimbursement for imaging services that rely on CR will be incrementally reduced by seven percent each year starting in 2018, with additional penalties planned starting in 2023. Through the bill, the government intends to encourage podiatry and other medical practices to make the transition to digital technology.

Some practices, however, are deterred by misconceptions about costliness. The new educational paper highlights various available options for DR retrofitting, leasing options, and details how the technology itself enables numerous practice benefits including:

· Faster imaging and greater time efficiency
· Greater clarity and diagnostic speed
· Improved workflow
· Competitive differentiation in the marketplace, and
· Overall lower cost of ownership


The HF PXS-710D podiatry digital x-ray system from 20/20 Imaging is the first DR system designed specifically with advanced features for podiatry imaging, delivering high quality, dose efficiency, and operational efficiency. Patient care and practice success may be further enhanced with the SONIMAGE HS1, a hand-carried ultrasound system with a high-resolution 18 mHz transducer for superior image quality.

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