Government
Senators call on Medicare to halt radiation therapy cuts
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Oct. 12, 2009
A bipartisan group of senators sent a letter to the Dept. of Health and Human Services protesting proposed cuts for radiation oncology services in the Medicare physician fee schedule.
While the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services projects the overall impact of the payment reductions to be 19%, the rates for certain cancer services would be reduced by up to 44%, according to the American Society for Radiation Oncology, which supported the Sept. 25 letter from Sens. Blanche Lincoln (D, Ark.), Richard Burr (R, N.C.) and 30 of their colleagues. The lawmakers said they are concerned the cuts could force community-based cancer centers to close. Lawmakers urged CMS to consider recalibrating payments to support primary care in a way that does not place a disproportionate burden on any one specialty group.
"Cancer patients, who are fighting day in and day out against their disease, already have enough to worry about without having to face additional expense and time to get important treatments," said Patricia Eifel, MD, a radiation oncologist at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and ASTRO's chair.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/10/12/gvbf1012.htm.
