Welcome!The Maryland and District of Columbia Society of Clinical Oncology, Inc. (“MDCSCO”) is committed to improving the quality and delivery of care in medical oncology in the State of Maryland and the District of Columbia. We promote appropriate standards of care in oncology and cooperate with investigators conducting cancer research. In addition, we assist in the continuing education of oncologists and educate the public, the government, insurance carriers, and other health care providers about appropriate prevention of cancer and other therapeutic options for patients with cancer. We encourage you to join more than 400 current members in providing the leadership in our progressive future. Click here to find out more about our membership.
VIEWBOOK
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IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ONCOLOGISTS
NO MORE DUES!
The Maryland and District of Columbia Society of Clinical Oncology now offers FREE professional memberships to physician oncologists. Click here for the flyer. As a member, you get the following benefits:
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August 2019 Advocacy Update
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Sharing Hospital Outpatient Payment Proposal Maintains 340B Cuts, Addresses Price Transparency and Prior Authorization
On July 29, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its proposed rule for reimbursement under the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (HOPPS) in 2020. ASCO is still analyzing the proposal and will provide more information to members as soon as possible.
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PFS: Proposed Policy, Payment, and Quality Provisions Changes for CY2020 - Public Comments Due by September 27, 2019
On July 29, CMS issued a proposed rule that includes proposals to update payment policies, payment rates, and quality provisions for services furnished under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) on or after January 1, 2020. This proposed rule is one of several proposed rules that reflect a broader Administration-wide strategy to create a health care system that results in better accessibility, quality, affordability, empowerment, and innovation. It also includes proposals to streamline the Quality Payment Program with the goal of reducing clinician burden. This includes a new, simple way for clinicians to participate in our pay-for-performance program, the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), called the MIPS Value Pathways.
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ESRD and DMEPOS CY 2020 Proposed Rule - Public Comments Due by September 27, 2019
On July 29, 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule that proposes to update payment policies and rates under the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System (PPS) for renal dialysis services furnished to beneficiaries on or after January 1, 2020. This rule also proposes updates to the acute kidney injury (AKI) dialysis payment rate for renal dialysis services furnished by ESRD facilities to individuals with AKI and proposes changes to the ESRD Quality Incentive Program (QIP). In addition, this rule proposes a methodology for calculating fee schedule payment amounts for new Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies (DMEPOS) items and services and making adjustments to the fee schedule amounts established using supplier or commercial prices if such prices decrease within five years of establishing the initial fee schedule amounts.
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CMS' "Fail First" Step Therapy Policy Means Medicare Patients with Cancer Will Face More Dangerous Delays and Denials
Earlier this month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) codified its decision to allow MA plans to use “fail first” step therapy for new starts of Part B drugs for cancer and other serious diseases. The Trump administration’s decision to finalize step therapy in MA plans means that Medicare patients with cancer will face nightmares of delays and denials while trying to access their physician-prescribed treatments
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MDCSCO October 24, 2018
Membership and Awards Dinner
Award Recipient Sheila Ross
UPCOMING MEETINGS
September 11 - Hot Topics, Annapolis, Hotel Annapolis
Speaker: Bo Gamble, Director of Strategic Practice Initiatives, Community Oncology Alliance (COA)
6:30 pm Reception
7:15 Buffet Dinner/Program
126 West Street
Annapolis, MD
No Charge to MDCSCO members and prospective members
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER ONLINE
(See the event calendar for more info!)
Date Change! October 30 - MDCSCO Awards Dinner, Baltimore, Center Club
December 4 - MDCSCO Industry Spotlight, Hanover, MD - Hotel at Arundel Preserve
December 7 - 9 – ASH Annual Meeting
ANNOUNCEMENTS
COA Statement on Senate Finance Committee "Drug Pricing Reduction Act" (Chairman's Mark)
(Yahoo! Finance) July 23, 2019 - Statement from Ted Okon, Executive Director, Community Oncology Alliance (COA): The Community Oncology Alliance (COA) appreciates the work of the Senate Finance Committee in developing the proposed Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act (drug package)....
"However, COA is vehemently opposed to the proposal to include support from patient assistance programs (coupons and related financial support) in the calculation of Average Sales Price (ASP), the basis for Medicare Part B drug reimbursement. Physicians, nurses, practice administrators, and other community oncology professionals see this proposal as having a severe adverse impact for patients with cancer who depend on financial assistance." ....
Read the full article here
New Technology Add-on Payment: Impact on CAR T-cell Therapy Reimbursement
On August 2, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) final rule for fiscal year (FY) 2020.
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CMS Expands CAR T-cell Therapy Coverage for Medicare Beneficiaries
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that Medicare will now cover all Food and Drug Administration-approved Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR T-cell) therapy delivered in inpatient facilities. This nationwide Medicare coverage increase for CAR T-cell therapy also opens the door for patients to receive treatment in outpatient health care facilities that are enrolled in FDS risk evaluation and mitigation strategies with expertise in delivering cellular therapies, and covers CAR T-cell therapy for off-label uses that are recommended by CMS-approved compendia.
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Medicare OPPS and ASC Payment System CY 2020 Proposed Rule - Public Comments Due by September 27, 2019
On July 29, CMS proposed policies that follow directives in President Trump’s Executive Order, entitled “Improving Price and Quality Transparency in American Health Care to Put Patients First,” that lay the foundation for a patient-driven health care system by making prices for items and services provided by all hospitals in the United States more transparent for patients so that they can be more informed about what they might pay for hospital items and services. The proposed changes also encourage site-neutral payment between certain Medicare sites of services. Finally, the proposed rule proposes updates and policy changes under the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System.
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CMS Proposes New Electronic Prior Authorization Process to Speed Access to Care
CMS recently issued a proposed rule to update and streamline the prior authorization process under Medicare Part D.
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Economic Cost of Cancer in U.S. Tops $94B Annually According to a Study
State-by-state variations in cancer deaths suggest that effective cancer prevention and treatment could yield economic benefits, according to a study published in JAMA Oncology.
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Corporate Members
Affiliates
News
Janssen provides discussion paper for 2020 Medicare Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Proposed Rule.
The CMS fact sheet is available here. In the FY 2020 IPPS Proposed Rule, CMS addresses how the agency proposes to pay for CAR T-cell therapy administered on an inpatient basis.
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CMS Open Payments: Review and Dispute Period Now Open
U.S. physicians have from April 1 until May 15 to review and dispute Open Payments data before it is made public on June 30. Review of the data is voluntary, but strongly encouraged to help improve the accuracy of the reported data.
Learn more here
ASTRO releases updated radiation oncology safety guide
In conjunction with Patient Safety Awareness Week, the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) published an update today to its framework for safe and effective radiation therapy treatment. The comprehensive reference guide, Safety is No Accident: A Framework for Quality Radiation Oncology and Care, is available for download.
CDC Issues Key Clarification on Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain
Agency Clarifies CDC Guideline Not Meant to Limit Access to Appropriate Pain Management for Individuals with Cancer, Sickle Cell Disease
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