07/24/2018

Important Oncology Related News

2019 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule Released

The CY 2019 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule with comment period was placed on display at the Federal Register on July 12, 2018. This proposed rule updates payment policies, payment rates, and other provisions for services furnished under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) on or after Jan. 1, 2019.

This proposed rule includes a number of new proposals, including a proposal to change documentation, coding and payment to reduce administrative burden and improve payment accuracy for office/outpatient Evaluation and Management visits. This proposed rule also includes changes to reimbursement for new Part B drugs, changes to payment rates for non-exempted off-campus provider based hospital departments, quality payment program changes and much more.CMS will accept comments on the proposed rule until September 10, 2018, and will respond to comments in a final rule. 

The proposed rule can be downloaded from the Federal Register CLICK HERE

The Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule Fact Sheet CLICK HERE

The Quality Payment Program Proposed Rule Fact Sheet CLICK HERE

Community Oncology Alliance Finds Proposals in 2019 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Puzzling

First, CMS is proposing to drastically cut payment for the critical evaluation and management of more complex cancer cases from $172 to $135 (a 22% payment cut) for a new patient and from $148 to $93 (a 37% payment cut) for an existing patient.   READ MORE

340B Drug Rebate Lawsuit Dismissed

The axe fell on the American Hospital Association (AHA) and on hospitals across the country when the U.S. Court of Appeals dismissed a key AHA lawsuit on Tuesday July 17th.  READ MORE

Seems Verma, CMS Administrator Pledges to Reduce Provider Burden in Documenting Visits

“From reporting on measures that demand that you follow complicated and redundant processes, to documenting lines of text that add no value to a patient’s medical record, to hunting down records and faxes from other physicians and sifting through them, wasteful tasks are draining energy and taking time away from patients,” wrote Verma in the letter.   

READ THE ENTIRE LETTER - CLICK HERE