Help Cancer Doctors Protect Their Patients
Medicare is cutting radiation oncology cancer treatment services by nearly $300 million, starting January 1, 2022. The radiation oncology community is calling on Congress to stop the draconian cuts that will harm cancer patient care. The cuts by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in the 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) and the Radiation Oncology Alternative Payment Model (RO Model) will be devastating to cancer patients and radiation oncology teams, endanger patient access to life-saving treatment and threaten the viability of clinics still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Payment rates for some radiation treatments for breast and prostate cancer will drop by almost 10%, for example, and by about 14% for advanced lung cancer treatment. Radiation oncology stakeholders are asking Congress to intervene and stop the cuts by year end.
Congressional Letters to CMS and HHS:
Quad Caucus Letter (10/22/21)
Representatives Higgins and Fitzpatrick Letter (10/20/21)
Senators Stabenow and Burr Letter (10/18/21)
The following resources provide more information.
Delaware News Journal Op Ed (11/21/21)
RO Model Campaign Ads (11/21)
Medicare Payment Cuts Issue Brief (11/21)
RO Model Stakeholder Letter to Congressional Leadership (11/19/21)
ASTRO's MPFS and RO Model Comments Executive Summary (9/21)
RO Model Comment Letter (9/9/21)
MPFS Comment Letter (9/9/21)
Press Statement on the Comment Letters (9/9/21)
RO Model Clinical Data Elements Comment Letter (8/13/21)
To see all of ASTRO's official statements and press releases about the APM, visit our RO Model Press Kit.
Watch a message from cancer patient and advocate Grace Eline sharing the importance of radiation therapy and urging Congress to support radiation oncology.
