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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Cancer Drugs Account for 27% of All New Drug Approvals in the US
Cancer drugs currently account for 27% of all new drug approvals in the United States since 2010, a dramatic increase from the 4% share of the 1980s, a newly completed analysis from the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development shows.
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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
2019 Membership Dinner
October 30, 2019
Reception: 6:15 p.m.
Dinner: 7:15 p.m.
The Center Club
100 Light Street
16th Floor
Baltimore, Maryland
FREE for MDCSCO members and prospective members
Speaker: Joanne Ebner, BSN, OCN, C-TTS
Manager, Cancer Prevention Department
Anne Arundel Medical Center
Award Presentation:
Legislative Achievement Award
The Honorable Dereck Davis
Chair, Maryland House Economic Matters Committee
For sponsorship of HB1169
raising the minimum smoking and vaping age to 21
Note:
Free parking is available for attendees.
Charles Street, just north of Pratt Street
Watch for small Center Club sign on right
Bring photo ID for garage admission
Go to Lower Level and use Center Club parking
Use elevators from garage; look for Center Club Elevator
Go to 16th floor
Click here to register
2019 - SAVE THE DATES!
(See the event calendar for more info!)
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
Educate and Support Your Patients with ASCO Answers Materials
Recently, State Affiliate presidents and executive directors received a mailing from Cancer.Net that included patient education materials that you and your members may find useful. These materials, along with additional resources that can be found on Cancer.Net give your patients ASCO-approved information on diagnosis, treatment, side effects, and psychosocial effects of cancer. The ASCO Answers series includes fact sheets, booklets on specific topics in cancer care, and comprehensive, patient-friendly guides. These easy-to-read materials cover breast cancer, colorectal cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, prostate cancer, cancer survivorship, caregiving, palliative care, managing cancer-related pain, advanced cancer care planning, and much more. ASCO members save 20 percent. All orders include free domestic shipping.
Order printed copies online at the ASCO Store.
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
