ASTRO supports bill lifting physicists' pay cap
June 4, 2025
ASTRO has signed on in support of the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Physicist Pay Cap Relief Act reintroduced by Reps. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) and Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ) in May. This bill would lift the arbitrary pay cap imposed on the VA's Therapeutic Medical Physicists (TMP) and Diagnostic Medical Physicists (DMP), which has exacerbated staff shortages and veterans' access to care at VA facilities. Over the past 15 years, TMP and DMP salaries have increased nationwide as radiation therapy has become more technologically advanced. However, TMPs and DMPs working at the VA earn approximately $40,000 less than their private sector counterparts. This has forced the VA to overspend on contracted services that can be done more efficiently in-house.