Radvocacy physician groups team to fight ‘urgent threat’ facing cancer care

Four physician advocacy groups in radiology announced Tuesday that they’re teaming to fight what they believe is an “urgent threat” facing cancer care.

The American Society for Radiation Oncology, or ASTRO, is leading the charge, joined by the American College of Radiology and others. They note that Medicare payment for radiation therapy services have been cut by 23% since 2013, with further reductions likely on the horizon.

“The organizations’ leaders believe that payment reform is an essential path forward for the future of the specialty,” ACR, ASTRO, the American College of Radiation Oncology and the American Society of Clinical Oncology wrote Jan. 9. “Broad congressional interest in radiation oncology and Medicare physician payment reform provide a robust backdrop for potentially transformative action this year.”

ASTRO is proposing the Radiation Oncology Case Rate program as one way to reverse “disastrous” Medicare payment trends. The initiative would change radiation oncology reimbursement from a per-fraction to a per-patient system and aims to reverse a decade of declines in doc pay. Physician leaders from various practice settings developed the program with input from expert consultants, ASTRO reported.

“The societies are seeking input from their members and other stakeholders on payment reform, as they ask policymakers to address the urgent threat facing cancer treatment access,” ASTRO and ACR said in their announcement. “They are committed to supporting radiation oncology professionals, both in hospital and freestanding office settings, to secure fair, stable reimbursement.”