Society of Utah Medical Oncology
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New Strategies magazine - Perspectives on COVID-19
Click here for past issues of Strategies
CMS Finalizes FY 2021 Inpatient Rule
On September 2, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the FY 2021 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Final Rule. ASH submitted comments in July on the proposed rule. The Society is pleased that many of the provisions ASH supported have been finalized, including the creation of a new Medicare Severity Diagnosis Related Group (MS-DRG) for Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell Immunotherapy, now the highest weighted MS-DRG with an unadjusted national base payment of around $240,000. CMS also finalized its proposal to exclude clinical trial cases from the calculation of the weight of the new MS-DRG in order to account for the cost differentiation between clinical trial and non-clinical trial cases. CMS’s final ruling on CAR-T reimbursement is a major advocacy win for ASH!
ASH Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts
Help ASH eliminate inequities in hematology by getting involved with our diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. ASH has created an online library related to its programs in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, which includes a growing archive of stories from diverse voices in hematology.
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NEW ASH Virtual Listening Sessions on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Coming soon: The ASH Virtual Listening Sessions on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will explore issues facing those from backgrounds traditionally disadvantaged in medicine, as well as DEI opportunities in the hematology community. ASH is currently seeking participants willing to share their thoughts and experiences on DEI issues related to race, ethnicity, gender, ability, and/or sexual orientation for the first set of listening sessions. ASH members interested in participating in the listening sessions are encouraged to sign up soon as we anticipate significant interest.
Sign up today
CMS Releases Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule
On August 3, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the CY 2021 Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule. CMS is not proposing any changes to the values of the outpatient evaluation and management (E/M) services finalized in the CY 2020 rulemaking. If this rule is finalized as proposed, hematology/oncology is projected to see an increase of 14% in 2021. The proposed rule also includes significant discussion around telehealth. While CMS does not purpose to permanently waive many of the restrictions that have been waived during the COVID-19 public health emergency because the agency states that it lacks authority to make this adjustment, the proposed rule does discuss other options for extending telehealth services.