Radiology benefits managers (RBMs) are responsible for reviewing and authorizing physicians' orders for imaging services, particularly high-cost services, such as CT scans (computed tomography), PET scans (positron emission tomography) and MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging). According to author David Kaplan, of the health-care industry publication Managed Healthcare Executive, in the United States alone, radiology costs have grown to more than $100 billion annually. Diagnostic imaging is the fastest-growing expense in health care, second only to the pharmaceutical industry. The average radiology benefits manager salary can vary widely.
RBM Firms
Radiology benefits management firms came about in response to increasing concern by health-plan providers about the growing costs of diagnostic imaging services. Insurance companies began contracting with third-party "gatekeepers" or RBM firms, in an attempt to reduce the number of unnecessary and costly tests being ordered by some physicians. A radiology benefits manager ensures that a physician's imaging orders are in line with a set of pre-determined guidelines for appropriateness and medical necessity, before allowing coverage for the service. Experience, location, the particular company and medical field, all affect the average radiology benefits manager salary.
Health Services Manager
The position of radiology benefits manager falls under the general category of health services managers. As the use of radiology benefits management firms increases, job opportunities in this field will expand. Health service managers will be increasingly called upon in the future to improve the efficiency and cost management in health-care facilities, as well as the quality of care provided. The federal government, in its attempt to balance the budget, has shown great interest in the use of RBM firms by health-plan providers. It is critical for radiology benefits managers to stay current with legislative changes and requirements, as they pertain to the field of benefits management. As of 2008, the average annual salary for a health services manager was $93,670 or an average hourly wage of $45.03, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Qualifications
Because of their role as gatekeeper, it is essential that effective RBMs possess excellent communication skills and be practiced in diplomacy, tact and flexibility. RBMs must be well-versed in management principles and practices, and a bachelor's or master's degree in health services administration, health sciences, public administration, public health, long-term care administration or business administration is desirable. On-the-job experience or a background in the medical field may substitute a formal education with some employers. The average annual radiology benefits manager salary for the bottom 10 percent in the field was just over $51,000, and the top 10 percent were earning nearly $145,000 annually, according to Bureau of Labor Statistic information from 2008.
Considerations
Radiology benefits managers may be known under alternative titles, such as radiology operations manager, senior medical director radiology benefits manager or simply radiology manager. Some RBMs may work in a hospital, outpatient care center and private practice medical office or in the office of a health plan provider. A senior medical director RBM in Bluffton, South Carolina makes an average salary of $95,000 annually, which is 8 percent below the national average for this position., according to Indeed.com. Radiology operations managers in Fredericksburg, Virginia and Hartford, Connecticut earn average annual salaries of $66,000 and $58,000 respectively, according to Simply Hired.
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