The Radiation Therapy Alliance (RTA) commended the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for mitigating "drastic cuts" in reimbursement for radiation oncology in its 2013 Physician Fee Schedule.
The reimbursement cuts to radiation oncology in 2013 will equal approximately $140 million compared to 2012 rates, according to RTA estimates. In its statement, RTA said it remained concerned about the financial impact of the payment cuts on community-based radiation therapy facilities, especially because there have been additional cumulative payment reductions in recent years.
Last week, the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) also issued a statement commending CMS for listening to the concerns of radiation oncology therapy providers and reducing its originally proposed payment reductions.
RTA represents 225 community-based cancer care facilities that provide radiation oncology treatments to approximately 80,000 cancer patients each year.
