NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Labor/Management Newsletter
June (2nd Quarter) 2010
Labor/Management Newsletter
January 2010
LMHCC 10th Annual Meeting
February 12th, 2010
Endorsement of Epic Hearing Health Care
Accessing Low Cost Prescriptions without Prescription Benefits
Endorsement of National ReClaim, Inc.
Pharmaceutical Industry Copayment Programs
Labor/Management Newsletter
August 2009
Average Wholesale Price Update
Evergreen Rx Newsletter
June 2009
CDI — Diagnostic Imagery Service
Thanks to the successful pilot project run by IBEW 292 and Twin Cities Pipe Trades, the LMHCC has unanimously endorsed CDI as the preferred provider for medical imaging services and some pain management procedures.
Center for Diagnostic Imaging (CDI) was selected because of its quality equipment, safety standards, lower costs and highly specialized radiologists. Each radiologist focuses on one specific part of the body, such as spine, brain or joints, and therefore has vast experience diagnosing conditions for that area. CDI also specializes in therapeutic injections for joint and back pain, where outcomes tracking indicate higher success for patients.
The equipment CDI uses is high strength and nationally certified. The LMHCC board found that there is an alarming variation in imaging equipment quality. The “pictures” taken by a low strength or poorly calibrated MRI or CT are less clear and therefore it is harder to obtain an accurate diagnosis. If the patient’s condition is not accurately diagnosed, unnecessary pain, loss of work, needless health care treatments or medications can all result.
Also important in the selection is that members who go to CDI receive an independent diagnosis that the patient can truly trust is in his/her best interests. CDI radiologists are financially and legally independent of any outside pressure to recommend more or less health care services, based on their radiology diagnosis.
IBEW 292 and TCPT launched a pilot project with CDI about two years ago. Together, the groups identified issues of importance to union members, set up a CDI Laborline (866.765.7138) to offer preferred scheduling for union members, and designed wallet cards to help patients communicate with their physicians about the importance of referring to CDI for imaging tests. After reviewing the cost savings data from Local 292, other LMHCC members have waived the patient co-pay for their members who choose to use CDI for necessary imaging services.
