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