CMS to Reduce Payments for Radiation Oncology by 5 percent for 2006

Source: American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology - ASTROgram

CMS notified the public last week in the 2006 Medicare Fee Schedule Final Rule that they would not be implementing their proposal from earlier this year to update their data with current data from practice expense supplemental surveys performed by many specialty societies. ASTRO is very disappointed by this decision. Radiation oncologists can now expect approximately an average 5 percent reduction in Medicare reimbursement for 2006. ASTRO plans to work with CMS in the hope of correcting this problem for 2007.