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 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.
July 5, 2023
ASCO is continuing to collaborate with State Affiliates and outside stakeholders to raise awareness and facilitate implementation of the CLINICAL TREATMENT Act, which requires all states and territories to cover and reimburse routine costs of care for treating a Medicaid enrollee who is participating in a qualifying clinical trial.
July 5, 2023
The Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) continues to advocate for increased access to cancer care and improved health equity for Medicaid beneficiaries and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients. In three recent comment letters, ASCO applauded proposals to improve access to high-quality, equitable cancer care and made important recommendations regarding the agency’s plans to expand health care coverage to more people.
May 9, 2023
On January 30, 2023, the Biden Administration announced the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) will end on May 11, 2023. The PHE enabled flexibilities that helped providers treat patients during the pandemic. With the PHE ending, many of these flexibilities are being phased out. The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) summarized the known end dates of some major flexibilities of interest to oncologists.
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.
April 25, 2023
On April 17, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2024 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters final rule. The agency finalized policies designed to expand access to coverage, advance health equity, and make health insurance plans more affordable including:
April 11, 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) proposed rule. In addition to updating Medicare payment rates and policies for inpatient hospitals in FY 2024, the proposed rule aims to advance health equity and support underserved communities.
April 11, 2023
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2024 Medicare Advantage and Part D Final Rule, which will revise regulations governing Medicare Advantage (MA), the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit (Part D), Medicare cost plans, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). The rule makes changes related to prior authorization, health equity, marketing and communications, and other areas on which Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) commented during the rulemaking process.
April 11, 2023
On January 1, a provision of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) went into effect requiring drug companies to pay rebates to Medicare when prescription drug prices increase faster than the rate of inflation for certain drugs given to people enrolled in the program. The provision also provides for lower Medicare Part B beneficiary cost sharing on such drugs beginning April 1, 2023.
March 14, 2023
The Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) submitted comments in response to a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) proposal is to streamline prior authorization by requiring Medicare Advantage plans, Medicaid plans, and Qualified Health Plans (QHP) on Federally Facilitated Exchanges (FFEs) to establish an electronic prior authorization process that would be integrated into a provider’s workflow.
February 16, 2023
On February 14, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) selected three models aiming to address high prescription drug costs for testing by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI). This effort to identify ways to lower drug costs in United States comes in response to President Biden’s Executive Order, “Lowering Prescription Drug Costs for Americans,” which complements provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
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