Message from the CPC Chair
This week Representative Ralph Hall (R-TX) circulated a “Dear Colleague” letter to his fellow House Representatives, urging them to co-sponsor House Resolution 261 to ensure quality cancer care. The "Dear Colleague" letter specifically references involvement by ASCO, patient advocates, and others in the cancer community in CMS’s demonstration project that provides resources to assess the side effects of chemotherapy on cancer patients.

As we reported last week, ASCO has been working with Rep. Hall and his staff over the past few weeks on the Resolution, which was introduced on May 4. H Res. 261 commends CMS for creating the demonstration project and calls on CMS to extend the benefits of the demonstration project beyond 2005.The Resolution also states that the demonstration project should be modified, as appropriate, to collect even more useful data relating to the quality of care furnished to Medicare patients with cancer, and payments to physicians for participation in the demonstration project should continue, to ensure that Medicare patients with cancer have access to chemotherapy treatment.

Over the next few weeks ASCO will be meeting with Members of Congress to ask them to support H Res. 261 and continue important cancer care services.

ASCO urges you to call or write your Representative and express your support for H Res. 261. Please ask YOUR House Member to sign on to this important Resolution to help protect quality cancer care. You can find contact information for your Representative at ASCO’s Grassroots Action Center, at http://capwiz.com/asco.

Please contact ASCO’s Cancer Policy & Clinical Affairs Department with any questions at 703-299-1050 or publicpolicy@asco.org.


MMA in the Spotlight 
The National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) provides quarterly updates on coding edits. As of April 1, 2005, there was an edit on code G0354 (each additional sequential intravenous push) when used with codes G0345 (intravenous infusion, hydration; initial, up to one hour), G0347 (intravenous infusion, for therapeutic/diagnostic: initial, up to one hour), G0357 (intravenous, push technique, single or initial substance/drug), G0359 (chemotherapy administration, intravenous infusion technique; up to one hour, single or initial substance/drug), and G0361 (initiation of prolonged chemotherapy infusion).

CMS acknowledges that the edit is an error; however, it cannot be fixed until the new quarterly update is release on July 1, 2005. Some local Medicare carriers have posted the following information from CMS and the American Medical Association regarding the edit:

"Until July 1, 2005, these edits may be bypassed utilizing modifier -59 to indicate that there was a separate sequential infusion of a different drug or the same drug at a different time. Claims adjudicated on and after implementation of version 11.2 (scheduled for July 1, 2005) will not hit against any of these edits regardless of the date of service. Thus providers may submit their claims for processing after July 1 without the need for the modifier -59 because the edits will no longer be applied."


News and Notes
Join Us at ASCO’s Annual Meeting
We are looking forward to seeing many of you at the ASCO Annual Meeting, which starts at the end of this week. This is a good opportunity for you to network with your colleagues and attend educational sessions that will provide you with information to help your practice. This year, the “Practice Management and Professional Issues” track will highlight reimbursement and quality care issues. For more detailed information, you can search ASCO’s 2005 Online Pocket Program.

ASCO policy leaders and staff will be at the ASCO booth throughout the conference, so members can ask additional questions, collect information on MMA and the demonstration project, and sign up to be a member of the Grassroots Advocacy Network. In addition, staff and physician volunteers from 24 state affiliates will be on site at ASCO’s State Oncology Societies Booth to showcase their organizations, interact with their members, and discuss the need for ASCO members to become engaged in issues affecting cancer care.

Grassroots Advocacy Network
Many of you already participate in the legislative process by writing or calling your Member of Congress, visiting your legislators in Washington, and encouraging your peers to communicate to Congress. Through the Grassroots Advocacy Network, we can work together to communicate more effectively on Capitol Hill about the issues that are most important to the cancer community. Joining the network is easy. Please visit www.asco.org/grassroots_survey to sign up.

Practical Tips Supplement Available
ASCO has just released the 2005 Practical Tips for the Practicing Oncologist Supplement, which overviews the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA), with a specific focus on the law as it relates to oncology services. You can download the document from the link, above.

ASCO’s Reimbursement Hotline
If you need help with the new coding changes or the demonstration project, please contact ASCO’s Coding and Reimbursement Hotline at 703-299-1054 or by email at practice@asco.org.

Mark Your Calendar
ASCO’s Legislative Conference will take place July 26-27, in Washington, D.C. To register for the conference, please register at ASCO.org.