On March 30, the 2007 Consistency, Accuracy, Responsibility and Excellence in Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy, or CARE, bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sen. Michael Enzi, R-Wyo., and Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass.

The bill matches the RadCARE bill, which passed the Senate in December 2006. But the congressional session ended before the House version of the bill could be brought for a vote. Once the CARE bill has enough co-sponsors, the Senate's Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) will take up the bill, hopefully after the congressional spring recess.

The Care bill would require those who perform medical imaging and radiation therapy procedures to meet minimum federal education and credentialing standards to participate in federal health programs administered by the Department of Health and Human Services, including Medicare and Medicaid.

For more information about the CARE bill and to read the latest news concerning its progress, visit the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) Web site.