MPFS final rule revised, ASTRO supports Senate's health funding bill, AM2026 Education Proposals
November 5, 2025
| Medicare Physician Fee Schedule final rule revised: Updates reflect ASTRO advocacy priorities |
| On November 3, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued updated data files to the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) final rule with positive changes for radiation oncology from the initial October 31 release. CMS estimates a -1% cut to radiation therapy physician services; however, due to statutory increases not reflected in the rule’s specialty impact table, radiation oncology will see a net positive impact. ASTRO is pleased that CMS improved upon its proposal to use hospital outpatient payments to inform freestanding payments; however, ASTRO is disappointed the Agency finalized the new efficiency adjustment that cuts reimbursement for physician work. Read What’s Happening in Washington for more information. |
| ASTRO joins 450+ organizations in supporting medical research |
| While the federal government remains mired in a shutdown, ASTRO joined over 450 organizations in an October 27 letter to congressional appropriations leaders urging them to provide adequate funding for both the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) in FY26. The letter endorsed the Senate’s health funding bill, which would provide $47.2 billion for NIH and $1.5 billion for ARPA-H. See more at What’s Happening in Washington. |
| ASTRO 2026 – Call for Education Session proposals opens tomorrow |
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| The 2026 ASTRO Annual Meeting Call for Education Session Proposals opens tomorrow, November 6, 2025, and closes on January 12, 2026. Notifications will be sent to submitters on March 25, 2026. Take this opportunity to participate in the 2026 Annual Meeting Education Program, an excellent platform to present and share your expertise and insights with the ASTRO community. |
| Ignite! Virtual Engagement Series! |
| The ASTRO Academy is now offering the Ignite! Virtual Engagement Series, to empower professionals to take meaningful steps forward in their career journeys through mentorship and expert career advice. The final session, Exploring Careers Beyond the Clinic, taught by Heather Curry, MD, Novartis, and Freddy Escorcia, MD, PhD, RayzeBio, will be held tomorrow, November 6, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern time. This session will explore transitions to careers outside the traditional clinic setting, including roles in industry, government and non-profit organizations. Attending the session live tomorrow gives you the opportunity to engage in dynamic breakout discussion. This three-part series will be available onDemand until December 5, 2025. Sign up today for this opportunity to invest in your future. |
| New RTAnswers On Target Podcast Available |
| In recognition of November as National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, RTAnswers has released a new patient-focused On Target podcast. Radiation oncologists Malcolm Mattes, MD, from Rutgers Cancer Institute, and Jolinta Lin, MD, from Emory Winship Cancer Institute, provide a broad overview of the use of radiation therapy for symptom relief in patients with metastatic cancer. They cover treatments for bone metastases, brain metastases, spinal cord compression, airway obstruction, vena cava obstruction, malignant wounds and bleeding. They also discuss use of radiation for oligometastatic cancer that is not symptomatic. The podcast is available to download or stream on www.astro.org/podcasts, www.rtanswers.org/podcasts, and on iTunes and Spotify. |
| Reminder to vote on bylaws changes |
| Take a moment now to vote on changes to the existing ASTRO bylaws. Updates include decoupling the Bylaws “Amendment Procedure” process from the Annual Business Meeting so that changes can happen in a more timely manner, and updating the ASTRO Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Council (HEDI) name, in response to recent Executive Orders and broader ASTRO strategic alignment, to “Health Care Access and Community Engagement Council.” Voting is open until 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on Friday, November 21. The ballot and instructions will appear once you log in with your email address and password. |
| RO-ILS celebrates physicists and therapists by sharing Great Catches |
| In recognition of the International Day of Medical Physics and National Radiologic Technology Week, RO-ILS released two new educational documents to celebrate a medical physicist and radiation therapist great catch. These events exemplify the important role these team members play in quality, safety and incident learning. Join us in celebrating your physicist and therapist colleagues this week! RO-ILS thanks AAPM and ASRT for their co-sponsorship and support, respectively. |
| New on the Blog: Elevating standards in radiopharmaceutical therapy with APEx |
| “Once you put the patient at the center, high quality, high consistency, and error-free delivery become the hallmarks of every treatment. Accreditation is the measurable yardstick that ensures you reach those goals,” said Minesh P. Mehta, MD, chair of radiation oncology at Miami Cancer Institute (MCI). Learn more from Dr. Mehta and colleagues, on their journey to becoming one of the first practices in the U.S. to achieve the new radiopharmaceutical therapy designation through APEx. |
| Time is running out to apply for the 2026 ROI Innovation Awards |
| Don’t miss this opportunity to secure funding for your breakthrough research on combining radiation therapy with immunotherapy. The Radiation Oncology Institute — the ASTRO Foundation — is accepting letters of intent for the 2026 Innovation Awards through November 17 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time. All qualified investigators are invited to propose projects focused on effectively combining radiation therapy and immunotherapy to enhance patient outcomes with budgets up to $100,000 over two years. Visit the ROI website for details on eligibility and how to apply. |
