July 1: ASCO Reacts to CMS Release of Physician Fee Schedule

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July 1: ASCO Reacts to CMS Release of Physician Fee Schedule

ASCO Reacts to CMS Release of Physician Fee Schedule

July 1, 2009

CMS just released its proposed physician fee schedule for 2010, and our preliminary review is deeply concerning. An initial analysis of the fee schedule indicates that there could be reductions in overall payments to medical oncologists in the range of 6 percent, with steeper cuts in payments to radiation oncologists upwards of 10 percent.

As you know, AMA conducted a Physician Practice Information (PPI) survey in conjunction with more than 30 medical specialties in order to collect updated data on physician practice expenses per hour. AMA provided this data to CMS earlier this year as the agency developed its physician fee schedule for the coming year.

ASCO had concerns about participating in the survey but ultimately encouraged practices to participate, as the AMA survey is the only mechanism recognized by CMS for calculating the expense of services that oncology practices provide to patients.

According to the AMA, only 50 oncology practices provided data on practice expenses. This is substantially lower than the 245 responses yielded by the 2002 ASCO survey that Gallup conducted and that currently forms the basis for our practice expense payments.

We are certain that your practice expenses have not dropped since 2005, given the high level of the care and treatment that oncologists currently provide people with cancer. In fact, we believe that expenses have more likely increased substantially for many practices. ASCO is prepared to protest this proposed reduction in fee schedule payments in the strongest terms possible. We are already in direct communication with CMS and leaders in Congress to express how critical it is to provide the resources that practices require in order to ensure that all cancer patients receive the care they need.

ASCO will complete a thorough analysis of all provisions in the fee schedule affecting oncology and will provide more detailed information as soon as possible. Contact ASCO’s Cancer Policy & Clinical Affairs Department at 571-483-1670 or publicpolicy@asco.org with any immediate questions that you have.