Community Oncology Alliance Supports Chemotherapy Demonstration Project

The Community Oncology Alliance (COA) announced its support for the 2005 Chemotherapy Demonstration Project and requested the project be extended to run through 2006. In the 2005 Chemotherapy Demonstration Project, initiated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), practitioners assessed three issues associated with chemotherapy: controlling pain, minimizing nausea, and reducing fatigue. From these assessments, CMS will be able to modify treatment options and enhance symptom management. COA president Leonard Kalman, MD, states, “The Chemotherapy Demonstration Project is the necessary bridge created by CMS while the Congress and CMS work towards a permanent solution for oncology reimbursement.”  Under the 2005 project, practices qualify for an additional payment of $130 per encounter if they report to Medicare on all three factors. Practitioners self enroll in the project by billing with CMS designated codes.

Comments

[Elaine Towle]

Stay engaged in the demo project issue! If a 2006 demo project is proposed, it will probably be at the 11th hour and it may need involvement from all of us. So stay tuned in to all of the organizations out there that represent and lobby for us.

Elaine Towle

[Patricia Falconer, MBA]

Maintaining the demonstration codes in 2006 will be critical to community-based oncology. These codes will help to reduce the pain of the proposed revenue cuts and will continue to provide valuable data to CMS.
Patty Falconer

[Christian Downs]

Not only should we watch what happens with the demonstration project, and I am cautiously optimistic that it will be renewed, but be prepared. It will probably look much different and require different coding than the one in 2005. Ah the simplicity and joys of running the modern oncology practice!