The ASRT and five other radiologic science organizations are working on a series of federal legislative measures covering hazard pay initiatives for frontline health care workers.
The group includes ASRT, the American College of Radiology, American Society for Radiation Oncology, Society of Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging, Society of Interventional Radiology and Association for Quality Imaging. Combined, the organizations have nearly 300,000 members.
In particular, the alliance is working to secure key changes to House Resolution 6484, the Hazard Pay for the Frontlines During Health Emergencies Act. The act includes medical imaging professionals, but excludes radiation therapists among the essential health care workers eligible for hazard pay benefits.
The importance of radiation therapists was outlined in a letter to the sponsors of the legislation. “Radiation therapists are essential frontline health care workers who work in the field of radiation oncology. Oncologic care has been greatly impacted by the pandemic given the even greater threat imposed to immunosuppressed cancer patients. Cancer care is in the middle of an intersection between the desire to safeguard a vulnerable patient population from COVID-19 while providing the cancer patient the necessary treatment.”
ASRT and its partners applaud the bill’s sponsors as they included medical imaging professionals to the list of essential frontline workers. However, radiation therapists should be added to the list as they continue to provide life-saving treatments during the ongoing pandemic.
In addition to HR 6484, ASRT is actively working to mold other proposed legislative measures to ensure that medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals are included in any bill that advocates for HEROES/hazard pay and they are listed as frontline essential health care workers.
Watch for more information about the progress of these efforts in the days and weeks ahead.