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The Medical Imaging Contrast Agent Association ("MICAA") is a national non-profit association composed of manufacturers and developers of contrast agents used
in the fields of medicine and life sciences. MICAA members have dedicated significant resources to the research, development and clinical use of contrast agents, including products which significantly improve
the diagnostic quality of magnetic resonance imaging ("MRI"), computerized axial tomography ("CAT"), x-ray, and ultrasound procedures. Over 90% of the contrast-enhanced procedures performed in the United States
are done with products developed by MICAA members.
Goals of the Association are:
- To educate Congress, federal regulatory agencies, medical specialty societies, the public, and other medical trade groups on the benefits of medical
imaging contrast agents;
- To encourage a policy of appropriate and adequate reimbursement for costs of using medical imaging contrast agents under managed care and other systems
for health care coverage;
- To monitor and participate in the legislative and regulatory process at the federal, state, local, and international levels to ensure the appropriate
treatment of medical imaging and contrast agents; and
- To provide a forum for interests of the medical imaging contrast agents industry.
Since it's inception in April 1999, MICAA has had great success. Not only has MICAA begun to develop a presence with Congress and other
federal agencies, MICAA has submitted industry comments on HCFA's Proposed Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (APCs) and FDA's Proposed Guidance on the Development of Medical Imaging Drugs. MICAA
has also initiated outreach to Physician Specialty Societies and secured a public meeting on FDA approval process for medical imaging drugs.
Membership Benefits Statement
Members of MICAA are companies that have a long-term commitment to research, development and distribution of contrast agents used in the fields of medicine and
life sciences. MICAA allows companies to pool their resources to address regulatory and legislative issues of importance to the medical imaging community.
The key objective of MICAA is to act as a voice for the medical imaging industry and to pursue appropriate reimbursement, regulation and review of contrast
agents.
Benefits:
- Serves as a respected and recognized voice of industry to legislators, regulators, and professional organizations and represents the industry on all
current, pending and proposed regulatory and legislative issues;
- Monitors and engages in legislative and regulatory activities on both a federal and state level;
- Actively works with CMS, Congress and medical specialty societies to ensure appropriate and adequate reimbursement for contrast agents and contrast
enhanced medical imaging procedures;
- Works with the FDA, Congress and medical specialty societies to appropriate and timely approvals of medical imaging contrast agents;
- Provides members with legislative lobbying advice through the retention of a Washington lobbying firm;
- Offers members advice on reimbursement issues through the retention of a health care law firm;
- Supplies economic reimbursement data to members through the retention of a well respected health care economics firm;
- Provides members with a forum to exchange information on current and emerging issues and projects, primarily in the regulatory and legislative arenas;
- Plays a significant role in the formation of positions and polices for the whole medical imaging community and encourages the development of industry wide
consensus position papers;
- Assists members in developing relationships with medical specialty societies with an interest in medical imaging;
- Permits the pooling of key nonproprietary resources, e.g. information input, contacts, networking, and knowledgeable persons on company staff that can
assist in addressing specific issues.
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