06/28/2016

Medicare Part B Virtual Hill Day

Urge your Representative to cosponsor HR 5122

Virtual Hill Day:  Urge your Representative to cosponsor HR 5122

Today, the Senate Finance Committee is holding a hearing on the CMS Part B Demonstration, with Patrick Conway, MD, MSc, the Deputy Administrator for Innovation and Quality & CMS Chief Medical Officer, testifying as the witness. Your participation in building support for H.R. 5122, legislation that would block the implementation of the Part B Demo, is critical!   Please  Take Action and urge your Representative to cosponsor HR 5122.

Background

• ASCO remains deeply concerned that the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation’s (CMMI) proposal to implement the Medicare Part B Drug Payment Demonstration Model (Part B Demo) will jeopardize the current oncology infrastructure. The demonstration presents a significant threat to community-based oncology care by eroding practice necessary resources at the exact time practices need them to transform in preparation for the policy changes under MACRA.  
• Initial data collected by ASCO show significant cuts to oncology practices across the country and an increase in drugs that may be underwater as a result of the Part B Demo.
• Any initiatives that have the potential to affect patient care should be tested in meaningful ways with the appropriate patient protections in place before implementation takes place on a wide scale basis. The stakes are too high.
• Congress has expressed similar concerns about the demonstration in a number of letters that went to CMS, however CMS has consistently defended the Part B Demo and we believe they remain committed to moving forward.
• If CMS refuses to withdraw the demo, legislative intervention will be essential. To that end, Reps. Bucshon (R-IN), Boustany (R-LA), Dold (R-IL), Price (R-GA) and Shimkus (R-IL) introduced legislation that would require CMS to halt further action on the Part B Demo.

Current Status

• Rep. Bucshon (R-IN) has introduced a bill, H.R. 5122, that would prevent CMS from implementing the Part B Demonstration Model. More cosponsors are needed to further express congressional disapproval of the Part B Demo and move the bill forward.
• Original cosponsors are Rep. Boustany (R-LA), Rep. Dold (R-IL), Rep Price (R-GA) and Rep Shimkus (R-IL).
• We need a large number of Representatives from both parties supporting this bill.
• We need all ASCO members to reach out to their Representatives and ask them to support oncology by cosponsoring H.R. 5122 today.

Alert Congress Today

• Please ask your Member of Congress to cosponsor H.R. 5122.

 Take Action