On August 1, 2024, ASTRO sent a response to a congressional request for information (RFI) on ways to fully realize the goals of the 21st Century Cures Act and Cures 2.0. Cures 2.0 aimed to build on the success of the 21st Century Cures Act by focusing on ways to modernize coverage and access to life-saving cures. ASTRO’s response focused on five key areas:

1. Stable physician payment, including a discussion about the Radiation Oncology Case Rate (ROCR) Value-Based Payment Act
2. Increased funding for cancer research, including ASTRO’s request for $51.303 billion in funding for the NIH, $7.934 billion for NCI and $1.5 billion for ARPA-H
3. Curb prior authorization abuse, including ASTRO’s support of the Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care Act
4. Access to new technologies, including ASTRO’s urging of CMS to issue a final Transition Coverage for Emerging Technologies (TCET) rule
5. Standardized data, including ASTRO’s insistence that Congress fund the important work currently being undertaken by CodeX and mCODE to standardize data

ASTRO also signed on to the Cancer Leadership Council’s response to the RFI.