On July 11, the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) invited ASTRO Congressional Relations Subcommittee Vice Chair Fumiko Chino, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering, to present expert testimony regarding “What can Congress do to end the medical debt crisis in America?” Dr. Chino shared with the Committee her personal research into health care affordability and financial toxicity associated with diagnoses, as well as her personal experience with medical debt and the soaring costs of care.

To help address the cost of care, Dr. Chino advised the Committee of the importance of value-based payment models and highlighted the Radiation Oncology Case Rate (ROCR) Act ROCR (S. 4330) as a way to incentivize high quality radiation treatments by aligning financial incentives with clinical guidelines, while aiming to reduce disparities by helping underserved patients initiate, access and complete treatments. To read Dr. Chino’s written testimony, view her testimony and the entire hearing, please visit the HELP Committee’s website here. Email your senators now and ask them to cosponsor ROCR today.