On February 8, ASTRO met with staff from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) to discuss issues impacting radiation oncology, including the RO Model and ongoing issues related to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS). ASTRO reiterated our commitment to value-based payment for radiation oncology (the RO Model was recently delayed until 2023), but we urged greater collaboration between the Agency and ASTRO as they navigate the next steps for the Model.

Regarding the MPFS, in addition to the problematic cuts in reimbursement radiation oncology has seen over the last several years, CMS is looking to update its current methodology for calculating practice expense that could result in additional cuts. ASTRO urged the Agency to take caution in undertaking any significant changes to the existing methodology to avoid unintended consequences, such as sizeable shifts in payments within or between specialties that could create access to care issues. ASTRO will continue to engage with the Agency as it moves forward in this process.