Reimbursement

The new playbook details voluntary best practices for value-based care (VBC) payment arrangements and is part of an effort to increase VBC adoption in the private sector.

The annual legislative update at the Community Oncology Alliance Community Oncology Conference identified what Congress may focus on prior to the upcoming election.

This panel at the Community Oncology Alliance conference discussed the impact of pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) response to the end of direct and indirect remuneration fees, which has been dramatic cuts to cancer drug reimbursement.

"The government really didn't rise to the challenge the way that it should have,” notes Ben Jones, vice president of government relations and public policy for The US Oncology Network. “Practices were in distress…stretching all resources to figure out workarounds."

Kathy Oubre, MS, CEO of Pontchartrain Cancer Center, is 1 of 6 cochairs for the 2024 Community Oncology Conference, and here she discusses how meeting content has incorporated ongoing coverage of the extremely disruptive cyberattack and how there is still so much work to be done.

Julie Patterson, PharmD, PhD, senior director of research at the National Pharmaceutical Council, discussed potential impact of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) on small molecule drug research and development investments toward subsequent indications.

The annual Community Oncology Conference comes on the heels of a cyberattack that has caused significant disruption to providers, and many have sought relief from payers in areas such as prior authorization.

Medicare’s upcoming health equity adjustment in the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (HVBP) program will reduce disproportionate penalization among safety net hospitals and those serving high proportions of Black patients, according to a recent study.

Al Benson, MD, FACP, FACCC, FASCO, medical oncologist at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and associate director of the Robert E. Tillery Comprehensive Cancer Center, discussed findings from a national survey assessing barriers to comprehensive cancer care delivery.

As pressure from the Biden administration on UnitedHealth Group increases, physicians' groups weigh in following the unprecedented hack on Change Healthcare.

During a session of the 2024 V-BID Summit, panelists Stacie Dusetzina, PhD, and Inma Hernandez, PharmD, PhD, discussed how access to essential medications is curtailed not just by the longstanding complexities of insurance design but also by emerging threats such as supply chain weaknesses and cyberattacks.

An appeals court rules against the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America in a 340B contract pharmacy dispute; for-profit investors’ acquisition of nursing homes has raised concerns about the quality of care provided in these facilities; President Joe Biden’s proposed budget for 2025 includes changes that would do away with the current system of biosimilar interchangeability.

The author calls on Congress to address reimbursement shortfalls that are contributing to a growing physician shortage, with rural areas the hardest hit.

In his State of the Union Address, the president called for expanding the number of drugs subject to Medicare price negotiations and extending a $2000 out-of-pocket cap beyond seniors.

A new federal rule will provide higher Medicare payments for homeless patients, which may encourage hospitals to identify these patients and help them with their needs.

Appeals court to review ruling wiping out some cost-free preventative services; a new legislation aims to boost reimbursement rates for medical providers; changes to coverage may limit elderly home care access

Leslie Busby, MD, chairman of the US Oncology Network Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee, discusses the process of developing patient-centered care plans within the framework of an accountable care organization (ACO) and the importance of staying up to date with the latest best practices and therapies.

The Community Oncology Alliance (COA), which represents independent cancer care practices, has asked CMS to act following a dramatic drop in reimbursements from Express Scripts, Inc. effective January 1, 2024.

While adopting new payment models can come with challenges, there are strategies that can help oncology practices optimize their approaches, said Kathy Oubre, MS, CEO of Pontchartrain Cancer Center.

From an interview conducted during Patient-Centered Oncology Care 2023.

Over the past 20 years, Medicare physician pay has plummeted by 26% when adjusted for inflation, while hospital reimbursement has surged by 70%, prompting over 100,000 doctors to abandon independent practice for hospital or corporate employment since 2019.

UnitedHealthcare is incorporating real-world evidence into pathways design and policy formulation, leveraging its members' data to evaluate the impact of different regimens on health resource utilization and costs, explains Lucy Langer, MD, MSHS, national medical director of oncology and genomics at UnitedHealthcare.

The authors call on Congress to reform Medicare reimbursement for dialysis, saying the recent rule puts clinics at risk of closure.

The author, chair of the Government Affairs Committee with the American College of Rheumatology, calls for support for efforts in Congress to reform the Physician Fee Schedule.

The most popular reimbursement content of 2023 included coverage of the shift from the Oncology Care Model to the Enhancing Oncology Model, reactions to the 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, and concerns around denial of services in Medicare Advantage plans.