CMS Releases Final Rule, Welcome ASTRO CEO, Call for Education Sessions open

November 6, 2024

ASTRO welcomes new CEO, Vivek Kavadi, MD, MBA, FASTRO

ASTRO welcomes Dr. Vivek Kavadi as he begins his tenure as the Society's Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Kavadi’s history with ASTRO includes joining the Society in 1994, serving on the Board of Directors as vice-chair of the Health Policy Council and service on the Health Policy and Payer Relations Committees. In 2019, he was recognized as a Fellow of ASTRO. Welcome Dr. Kavadi!

 

2025 Medicare Payment Final Rules released

On Friday, November 1, both the 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) and Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (HOPPS) final rules were released. The MPFS, with policies continuing to depress payment, further underscores the need for the Radiation Oncology Case Rate (ROCR) Act. Under HOPPS, overall payment rates will see an increase factor of 2.9%. Read What’s Happening in Washington for more information.

 

Congress to CMS: End Medicare Advantage (MA) abuses and hold plans accountable

This week, Democratic leaders in the House and Senate sent a joint letter to CMS voicing concerns and encouraging swift action to address MA plan enrollee abuse, including prior authorization. To learn more, visit What’s Happening in Washington.

 

ASTRO 2025: Now accepting Education Session proposals

ASTRO’s 67th Annual Meeting will take place September 28 – October 1, 2025, in San Francisco. The meeting theme is Rediscovering Radiation Medicine and Exploring New Indications. ASTRO continues to broaden the call for education session proposals to diversify and enrich the Annual Meeting Education Program. The deadline to submit your Education Session proposal is 11:59 p.m. Pacific time, on Monday, January 6, 2025. Learn more and submit now!

 

Tomorrow! ASTRO ROCKS session on Team Science

Join us for our next complimentary ROCKS web session, tomorrow, November 7, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time. In this session, four esteemed researchers will share their expertise on forming interdisciplinary teams to effectively pursue large federal grants. They’ll cover strategies for aligning team objectives with grant proposals, navigating common challenges and important factors to boost collaborative research. Don’t miss out — Register Now!

 

Apply now: ASTRO-BCRF EIA open for proposals

The 2025 BCRF Emerging Investigator Award supports early-career breast radiation oncology researchers from underrepresented populations with a focus on building a diverse scientific workforce. Applications are due by January 10, 2025. Applicants must meet the BCRF's eligibility requirements, including being an Early Stage Investigator (ESI) as defined by the NIH. Learn more about ASTRO’s research funding opportunities.

 

Videos complement journal articles: Watch now!

Authors of ASTRO journal articles are invited to create videos that summarize and analyze their published research. Be sure to browse the Red Journal and Practical Radiation Oncology video collections and submit a video of your own!

 

RO-ILS celebrates physicists and therapists by sharing Great Catches and recognizing Safety Stars

In recognition of the International Day of Medical Physics and National Radiologic Technology Week, RO-ILS released two new educational documents to celebrate a great catch by a medical physicist and a radiation therapist. Additionally, three physicists and three therapists were selected for national recognition based on their contributions to patient safety. Join us in congratulating these safety champions and celebrate your team members this week! With co-sponsorship and support from AAPM and ASRT, respectively, RO-ILS is available to the community for free.

 

Last call for pancreas guideline applicants!

ASTRO is convening a task force to develop a guideline replacement for Radiation Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer. If you are interested in participating on this task force, you may apply for consideration. Please apply or forward this information to a colleague who may be interested in applying. The application deadline is Tuesday, November 12.