Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC) has introduced legislation that would reverse the sequester cuts that have led some oncology practices to reconsider accepting Medicare patients. Several reports indicate the reductions from this cut are impacting reimbursement both for services and chemotherapy drugs, effectively decreasing Part B drug reimbursement from ASP+6 percent to ASP+4.3 percent.

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The following profile of ASCO’s Cancer Research Committee is the second in a series of articles to help ASCO members better understand the role that volunteers serve and the critical work in which committee members are engaged.

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ASCO and the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) recently updated their chemotherapy administration safety standards to include oral chemotherapy. 

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A study analyzing the impact of the Delaware Cancer Consortium, the state’s cancer control program, reports a 41 percent reduction in colorectal mortality rates for African Americans. The study, published April 15 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, provides analysis on a novel design and approach used to eliminate colorectal cancer disparities for the first time by a state cancer control program.

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ASCO has formally recommended that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services use the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative® (QOPI) as a model clinical registry through which practices can meet their Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) requirements. The society made this recommendation in submitted comments in response to the agency’s request for information on how practices can meet their PQRS requirements by participating in clinical registries.

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Representatives Pete Sessions (R-Texas) and Gene Green (D-Texas) are asking fellow members of Congress to sign a bipartisan letter that seeks more information from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on the impact of sequestration on chemotherapy drugs.

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This afternoon, President Obama released his proposed budget for fiscal year 2014. Among several cost-cutting measures designed to preserve Medicare solvency is a proposal to reduce reimbursement for life-sustaining cancer drugs. Currently, reimbursement to physicians for “Part B” drugs is based on the average sales price plus a 6 percent payment for services needed to administer chemotherapy in physicians’ offices, where most cancer patients receive their care. The President has proposed to reduce the 6 percent service payment to 3 percent. (The budget proposal appears to apply cuts primarily to physicians, but also mentions rebates that will be required by manufacturers.)

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As the two percent across-the-board reduction in Medicare provider payments takes effect today, ASCO is calling for elimination of the cuts, which will disproportionately reduce payments for critical cancer drugs.

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