Newswise — Fairfax, Va., December 18, 2015 – The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) applauds Congress for today’s passage of S. 2425 to freeze radiation oncology freestanding center payment rates for 2017-2018 at the levels set under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for 2016. ASTRO greatly appreciates bipartisan, bicameral leadership in Congress for their continued efforts to improve our nation’s health care system to ensure rates for radiation oncology services provide the stability necessary to avoid any disruptions in critical cancer care. The passage of this legislation continues to reinforce Congress’ acknowledgement that continued cuts to community-based radiation therapy centers could disrupt critical services that cancer patients rely upon.
Radiation oncology reimbursement rates have sustained significant cuts in recent years, which has resulted in cumulative payment reductions totaling approximately 20 percent for freestanding cancer centers. Passage of this legislation will help create a more stable environment during which ASTRO and other radiation oncology stakeholders can continue to work with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on radiation treatment delivery coding and valuation issues, as well as the development of radiation oncology-specific alternative payment models.
Bruce D. Minsky, MD, FASTRO, and ASTRO chair, said, “ASTRO thanks radiation oncology’s champions in Congress for ensuring patient access to community-based cancer care nationwide. ASTRO looks forward to continuing to work with Congress and CMS to protect cancer patient access to care, and we appreciate the stability this legislation provides for freestanding cancer treatment centers.”
About ASTRO
ASTRO is the premier radiation oncology society in the world, with nearly 11,000 members who are physicians, nurses, biologists, physicists, radiation therapists, dosimetrists and other health care professionals who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. As the leading organization in radiation oncology, the Society is dedicated to improving patient care through professional education and training, support for clinical practice and health policy standards, advancement of science and research, and advocacy. ASTRO publishes three medical journals, International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics (www.redjournal.org), Practical Radiation Oncology (www.practicalradonc.org) and Advances in Radiation Oncology (www.advancesradonc.org); developed and maintains an extensive patient website, RT Answers (www.rtanswers.org); and created the Radiation Oncology Institute (www.roinstitute.org), a nonprofit foundation to support research and education efforts around the world that enhance and confirm the critical role of radiation therapy in improving cancer treatment. To learn more about ASTRO, visit www.astro.org.
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