Provider organizations submitted commentary to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) addressing the drastic effect that reimbursement cuts would have on a variety of radiation services. Dr. Deepak A. Kapoor, president of The Large Urology Group Practice Association (LUGPA) said, “Patients with cancer depend on this state-of-the-art treatment The cuts proposed by CMS will limit patients’ access to advanced radiation services, including intensity-modulated radiation therapy and stereotactic body radiation therapy, which are the preferred modalities for radiation treatments for patients with prostate and head and neck tumors.”
Dr. Michael J. Katin President of the Association of Freestanding Radiation Oncology Centers (AFROC) said, “A cut in reimbursement to freestanding radiation therapy centers and community-based cancer practices this massive would put financial strain on community radiation oncology practices, negatively impacting patient access. These cuts may force community treatment centers to limit services and potentially close, denying Medicare beneficiaries and other patients with cancer access to life-saving cancer treatment – especially underserved and rural populations.”
