The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) of Fairfax, VA, has thrown its support behind the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) for highlighting concerns about physician self-referral in cancer care.
MedPAC noted that many physicians have expanded their practices in recent years to include radiation therapy and other services included in the ancillary services exception to the physician self-referral law, or Stark law. The commission added that physician self-referral of services in the exception creates incentives to increase volume, and noted that the exception was intended for "quick turnaround" services, such as lab tests or x-rays, provided during the same office visit.
MedPAC is considering several policy recommendations for changes in self-referral of radiation therapy, such as excluding radiation therapy from the exception, limiting the exception to "clinical integrated" practices, and improving payment accuracy.
In its statement, ASTRO said it is urging "the commission to make recommendations to Congress to end abuses of the physician self-referral law in radiation oncology enabled by the 'in-office ancillary services exception.' "
Related Reading
ASTRO issues report on SBRT for lung cancer, April 29, 2010
ASTRO, ACR publish joint guidelines for radiation therapy, January 29, 2010
ASTRO publishes IMRT guidelines, August 7, 2009
ASTRO publishes APBI guidelines for early-stage breast cancer, July 16, 2009
Copyright © 2010 AuntMinnie.com
