01/13/2017

ASCO State/Regional Affiliate Program

Latest News for State Affiliates

ASCO State/Regional Affiliates: Making a Difference in Cancer Care With You

ASCO's President, Dr. Daniel F. Hayes, MD, FACP, FASCO, has written an excellent blog in ASCO Connection about the great work of the ASCO State/Regional Affiliates that we encourage you to read and share!

The blog also includes Dr. Hayes' thoughts about attending our Fall Council meeting. It is both informative and complimentary, and our State Affiliate Council should be proud!

Your Input Needed: ASCO Survey of Oncology Practice Operations

ASCO is conducting its 2017 Survey of Oncology Practice Operations, an annual survey of business and operational issues in oncology practices. The survey data will be used to develop benchmarks that practices can use to better understand their performance and improve operations, as well as to inform ASCO’s programs and tools to support practices. All survey results will be presented as aggregated data; individual practice data is protected and never shared. ASCO urges all practices to complete the survey before the January 27, 2017 deadline.
 

ASCO Releases Principles for Patient-Centered Healthcare Reform

Increasing Patient Access to Quality Care, Avoiding Insurance Coverage Gaps, and Screening and Prevention Services Listed as Keys to Fostering the Best Possible Cancer Care

ASCO has released, “ASCO Principles for Patient-Centered Healthcare Reform,” seven recommendations designed to ensure access to high-quality cancer care amid the changing U.S. healthcare delivery landscape. The principles aim to assist the new Congress and Administration, so, as they consider the critical underpinnings of any healthcare reform proposal, the needs of patients facing a cancer diagnosis are met.

“As always, ASCO is committed to improving patient access and quality care and to working with policymakers to help achieve this goal," said ASCO President Daniel F. Hayes, MD, FACP, FASCO. “As a new Administration and Congress commence their important work, we will continue to advocate for policies that reflect the current realities of today’s cancer care and ensure that patients with cancer receive the full range of services they critically need.” As legislators weigh different healthcare reform options, ASCO offers the following recommendations as a framework for strengthening the cancer care delivery system:

• All Americans should have access to affordable and sufficient healthcare coverage regardless of their income or health status. To ensure protected access, the current ban on pre-existing condition limitations, elimination of annual and lifetime coverage caps, and maintenance of guaranteed renewability should be preserved.
• Any efforts to reform the healthcare system at the national, state, or local levels should ensure that individuals with healthcare insurance can continue to access affordable insurance without interruption.
• All individuals with cancer should have health insurance that guarantees access to high-quality cancer care that is delivered by a cancer specialist and that provides the full range of services needed by patients with cancer a timely manner.
• Policymakers should, in any policy changes, promote and protect cancer prevention and screening services, as they are key to reducing cancer mortality. Policy makers should preserve the "no copay" access to screening services that currently exists.
• All patients should have meaningful access to clinical trials, and health insurance coverage should not be a barrier to clinical trials participation.
• Current efforts to improve quality, affordability, and access to care for patients and communities through value-based reform strategies should be continued. Current efforts to improve value in healthcare should continue to be prioritized, and value-based reforms should be designed and implemented in a patient-centered way.
• Healthcare reform efforts should engage patients and providers to obtain meaningful input in order to avoid unintended consequences during implementation.

Click here to read the full document.

As New Congress Commences, ASCO Monitors New Appointments, Healthcare Reform

On January 3, the 115th Session of the U.S. Congress got underway. One of the first orders of business was appointing new leadership of Committees, including those with jurisdiction over issues of importance to cancer-related policy:

• Senate Appropriations Committee: Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
• House Energy & Commerce Committee: Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR)
• Subcommittee on Health: Chairman Michael Burgess, MD (R-TX)
• House Appropriations Committee: Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R- NJ)

The House Energy & Commerce’s newly appointed Health Subcommittee Chairman, Dr. Michael Burgess, previously practiced as an ob-gyn and was honored with ASCO’s Congressional Leadership Award in September 2016. ASCO is also pleased to welcome two new physicians to the US House of Representatives: Rep. Roger Marshall, MD (R-KS) and Rep. Neal Dunn (R-FL).

To learn more about the new Congress and their priorities, click here to read the full article at ASCO in Action.

MACRA Fact Sheets Help Oncology Practices Prepare for Quality Reporting

As your partner in practice transformation, ASCO has prepared two new fact sheets for its online toolkit to help oncology practices successfully participate in the Quality Payment Program (QPP) under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA). The first two fact sheets, in what will be a series, focus on the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) reporting options for 2017 and MIPS scoring for Oncology Care Model practices that do not qualify as Advanced Alternative Payment Model participants.

Program changes under QPP began on Jan.1 and are completely transforming the way physicians are reimbursed for services provided under Medicare Part B. ASCO encourages practices to fully understand how MACRA will impact them and to prepare for those changes ahead of time. ASCO has developed a range of tools and educational materials that can help, including webinar recordings and slides from the MACRA education series.

ASCO will continue to update its online QPP toolkit throughout the MACRA implementation process. Stay tuned to ASCO in Action and bookmark asco.org/MACRA for the latest news and updates.

CMS EHR Incentive Program Attestation Systems Open Through Feb. 28

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs attestation system is now open. Eligible professionals and hospitals may attest for any 90-day continuous reporting period within the 2016 calendar year. Providers must attest by February 28, 2017 to avoid a 2018 payment adjustment.

Access the CMS attestation worksheets for eligible professionals and eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals or visit the 2016 Program Requirements webpage for more information.

ASCO Oncology Practice Conference: Register Today

More than a dozen experts will speak at the inaugural ASCO Oncology Practice Conference, being held on March 2, 2017 in Orlando, Florida. This exciting, new, educational meeting focused on the business of cancer care will feature dynamic sessions led by renowned faculty. Speakers will address the regulatory, administrative, and legal challenges currently faced by oncology practices. Join colleagues involved in the business and management of oncology practices. The hotel reservation and early registration deadline is January 25 at 11:59 PM (EST).

Attendees who register for both the ASCO Oncology Practice Conference (March 2) and the ASCO Quality Care Symposium (March 3 & 4), will receive a $100 rebate. Click here to learn more.