Last week, 233 members of Congress called on House Speaker Johnson and Leader Jeffries to prioritize legislation that will finally fix the broken Medicare reimbursement system. Led by ASTRO Champion Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks, MD, (R-IA), the letter calls for action before January 1, 2025, when the cuts go into effect. This would mark the fifth consecutive year CMS has proposed cuts to physician reimbursement in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS); and radiation oncology has seen more than 23% payment cuts since just 2013.

ASTRO applauds physician leaders in Congress leading the call for urgent reform: Greg Murphy, MD (R-NC), Raul Ruiz, MD (D-CA), Larry Bucshon, MD (R-IL), Kim Schrier, MD (D-WA), John Joyce, MD (R-PA), and Ami Bera, MD (D-CA). Failure to stop these annual cuts threatens beneficiary access, especially in rural and medically underserved areas. ASTRO is dedicated to fully stopping this annual cycle by urging support of the Radiation Oncology Case Rate (ROCR) Act. ROCR will  stabilize payments for radiation oncology services, improve access, enhance quality and reduce disparities in care.

More than 70 organizations — including freestanding centers, community hospitals, private practice groups, academic centers, professional organizations, and cancer patient advocacy partners — have already endorsed. Now is the time to remind members of Congress there is a legislative payment fix for radiation oncology and the millions of people with cancer who need RT as part of their treatment. Tell members of Congress who have signed this letter to support payment reform for radiation oncology by cosponsoring the ROCR Act today!