In letters to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Association for Clinical Oncology commented on provisions that impact cancer care for Medicare beneficiaries in the 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and Quality Payment Program proposed rule, as well as in the 2024 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System proposal.
ASCO in Action provides the latest news and analysis related to critical policy issues affecting the cancer community, updates on the Association for Clinical Oncology’s ongoing advocacy efforts, and opportunities for members and others in the cancer care community to take action.
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September 12, 2023
August 15, 2023
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) released a detailed analysis of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule for 2024. ASCO's analysis looks at how specialty, location, and other factors would impact physician reimbursement under the proposal.
August 3, 2023
On August 1, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the fiscal year (FY) 2024 Medicare Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) and Long‑Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Prospective Payment System (PPS) final rule. In addition to updating Medicare payment rates and policies for inpatient hospitals in FY 2024, the rule aims to advance health equity and support underserved communities.
July 28, 2023
The American Medical Association (AMA) will conduct a Practice Information Survey, to collect data on practice expenses and hours spent on patient care. The data will be shared with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and directly impact Medicare physician reimbursement. The survey is being distributed to a very limited number of practices and physicians, making every response crucial to providing CMS with valid data, so please take the survey if you receive it.
July 13, 2023
On July 13, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its proposed rule for the 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and updates to the Quality Payment Program (QPP). The agency also released the 2024 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System proposed rule.
July 7, 2023
On July 7, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its proposed rule to reimburse hospitals that were underpaid under the 340B drug pricing program since 2018.
April 25, 2023
The Association for Clinical Oncology, and nearly 120 other national physician specialty societies and state medical associations, commend a bipartisan group of physician members of Congress who recently introduced the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act (H.R. 2474) in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill would allow Medicare physicians to receive inflationary reimbursement updates, based on the Medicare Economic Index, similar to those other health care providers receive.
April 25, 2023
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will continue to allow clinicians, groups, and virtual groups in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) use the Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances exemption application to request reweighting of one or more MIPS performance categories for the 2023 performance year due to the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). CMS expects to release the application in spring 2023. MIPS participants wishing to have one or more performance categories reweighted in the 2023 performance year due to the COVID-19 PHE must complete an application.
February 14, 2023
The American Medical Association (AMA) released an updated Specialty Impact Table for Medicare physician reimbursement in calendar year 2023. The estimated impact on the hematology/oncology specialty is now -1% for 2023. Though, individual or practice level effects of these changes will vary based on geographic location, service location, and mix of services billed.
January 26, 2023
Congress Must Establish Long-Term Medicare Payment Solutions to Preserve Access to High-Quality Care
the Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO), along with more than 100 other provider organizations, sent a letter to Members of Congress urging them to preserve access to high-quality care for beneficiaries by reforming the Medicare payment system. The letter urges Congress to hold hearings and work with stakeholders, such as ASCO, this year to identify long-term payment solutions.
January 6, 2023
On December 23, 2022, Congress passed a Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 omnibus funding bill, which funds all federal agencies through September 30, 2023, and includes several health policies, such as mitigating Medicare physician payment cuts, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reforms, and telehealth expansion. The Association continues to analyze the legislative package and will provide additional details in the coming days.