Does anyone know what kind of cuts are coming to radonc? For those of us about to join a partnership we'd like to know what kind of cuts we'll be dealing with in the near future. I think Cone-beam CTs and IMRT is going to be combined from now on.
For a few years now, cuts have been going on, more on the freestanding side than hospital in terms of technical fees.
That being said, freestanding has still been able to charge daily igrt while hospitals have not. The most recent cuts to breast and prostate imrt through new coding got nixed at the last minute along with the plans to remove the vault as a direct expense. These initiatives may get pushed through for next year though. For this coming year, freestanding actually got a surprise net 1%+.
Bottom line, no one knows for sure, but this will probably continue. Other things may happen too, like bundled payments where a single course of radiation for a diagnosis gets a flat fee
Every year, the cycle of reimbursement goes as follows:
1. CMS proposes draconian cuts to Rad Onc
2. ASTRO and other PACs give our elected representatives 'tribute' (oh I'm sorry, I meant to write 'exercises their free speech')
3. Cuts are either softened somewhat or, in unusual cases, essentially reversed
4. Rinse and repeat the following year
Every year, the cycle of reimbursement goes as follows:
1. CMS proposes draconian cuts to Rad Onc
2. ASTRO and other PACs give our elected representatives 'tribute' (oh I'm sorry, I meant to write 'exercises their free speech')
3. Cuts are either softened somewhat or, in unusual cases, essentially reversed
4. Rinse and repeat the following year
Nobody knows. They don't propose the cuts more than a few months in advance. Cuts are inevitable and as medgator mentioned above, case rates will be the ultimate iteration of 'cuts.'
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