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ACRO ALERT


American College of Radiation Oncology ACRO ALERT Archive
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Thank you for visiting the comprehensive ACRO ALERT archive.  You will find past ACRO ALERTS posted here.  Visit ACRO.org to find out more about this program.
  • ACRO Alert: ACRO 2011 Meeting Rewind
  • ACRO Alert! 5/24/11
  • Interested in reviewing a host of content related to ACRO's 2011Annual Meeting in Coronado, CA? Click here for more information including pictures, podcasts, presentations and the Spring 2011 edition of the bulletin.
  • ACRO Alert: New York Times Author Walt Bogdanich Speaks on NPR About Medical Radiation Errors
  • ACRO Alert! 5/24/2011
  • Interested in reviewing a host of content related to ACRO's 2011Annual Meeting in Coronado, CA? Click here for more information including pictures, podcasts, presentations and the Spring 2011 edition of the bulletin.
  • ACRO Alert: Emergency Update to the CY 2011 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule:
  • ACRO Alert! 5/17/11
  • On May 16, Walt Bogdanich, the New
    York Times reporter who spoke at ACRO's recent annual meeting in San
    Diego via video feed from New York about medical radiation errors,
    continued to discuss the subject on the National Public Radio (NPR)
    show, "Fresh Air," with host Terry Gross.
  • Summary of the Medicare and Medicaid Extenders Act of 2010
  • ACRO Alert! 12/30/10
  • Yesterday evening, CMS issued an emergency update to the CY 2011 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) database in the form of this transmittal. Through this transmittal, CMS accepted the arguments of the radiation oncology community, including ACRO, that the work RVUs for 77427 should be 3.37.
  • SGR Update - November 2010
  • ACRO Alert! 11/22/10
  • On Thursday, Nov. 18 the Senate passed by unanimous consent the one-month patch to the SGR for the month of December. The legislation could be considered by the House (which has adjourned for the Thanksgiving break) on November 29 or 30. The legislation extends the existing 2.2% increase in reimbursement levels (passed in June) for December 2010.
  • Medicare Payment Reform Leads AMA's Agenda
  • ACRO Alert! 9/23/10
  • Medicare Payment Reform issues dominated the discussion, as frustration about the lack of a permanent replacement for the Sustainable Growth Rate Formula intensified. In a recent AMA survey of 9,000 physicians, 20% of physicians restrict the number of Medicare patients that they see and 33% of primary care physicians restrict the number of Medicare patients that they see.
  • ACRO Has Submitted Comments to CMS Regarding the Proposed CY 2011 Physician Fee Schedule.
  • ACRO Alert! 8/31/10
  • ACRO has recently submitted comments to the CMS regarding the Proposed CY 2011 Physician Fee Schedule.
  • CMS Asks Physicians to Hold Claims Yet Again!
  • ACRO Alert! 6/3/10
  • The Continuing Extension Act of 2010, enacted on April 15, 2010, provided another temporary patch to maintain physician payment levels until the end of May. While the House and Senate leaders are working to fix the problematic sustainable growth formula, the Senate left town for the week-long Memorial Day Congressional recess without enacting a fix to this years-long problem. The House did pass a 19 month fix before its holiday recess.
  • Yet Another Temporary Reprieve from the Looming Payment Reduction.
  • ACRO Alert April 19, 2010
  • Late last week, President Obama signed HR 4851, the Continuing Extension Act of 2010. Once again, Congress has enacted merely a temporary patch to maintain physician payments at the March 31st level until the end of May. The law is retroactive to April 1, 2010.
  • ACRO Alert March 30, 2010
  • ACRO Alert! 3/30/10
  • Last week, Congress failed to extend the current Medicare physician payment rates. In a standoff similar to last month's stalemate in which a single Senator, using arcane Senate procedural rules brought a halt to the entire process
  • Congressional Non-action on SGR!
  • ACRO Alert! 3/2/10
  • On Thursday, February 25, 2010 the US House of Representatives passed legislation extending the current Medicare physician payment rates for 30 days. The Senate failed to pass the same legislation and adjourned for the weekend. This means that a 21% physician payment cut became effective on Monday, March 1.
  • Code 77338 replaces 77334 Multiple Custom Multileaf Device Charges for Medicare IMRT Patients.
  • ACRO Alert! 1/28/10
  • Effective January 1, 2010, Code 77338 replaces device charge 77334 used for each multileaf pattern for Medicare patients receiving IMRT. This code is used one time per IMRT plan (77301) and replaces multiple charges for multileaf patterns. Private insurers may not yet have followed suit. Unfortunately, the reimbursement for this code is below what would be reimbursed under the prior system.
  • Payments for Consultations Eliminated as of January 1, Decline in Reimbursement to Result.
  • ACRO Alert! 1/11/10
  • CMS has eliminated inpatient and outpatient consultation code reimbursement for medical specialists, including radiation oncologists (codes 99241-99245 and 99251-99255). Instead, radiation oncologists can bill a new patient visit for Medicare patients. The reduction in reimbursement for us is substantial.
  • President Signs into Law H.R. 3326, Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010: Includes a 0% Medicare Physician Update through February 28, 2010
  • ACRO Alert! 12/23/09
  • President Signs into Law H.R. 3326, Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010: Includes a 0% Medicare Physician Update through February 28, 2010
  • Medicare Eliminates Payment for Consultation Codes
  • ACRO Alert! 12/2/09
  • Effective January 1, 2010, Medicare will no longer pay for services billed using consultation CPT® codes, except for telehealth services. This change was made in a budget neutral manner, such that Medicare increased the payments for new patient visits.
  • 2010 Final Rule for the MPFS
  • ACRO Alert! 11/5/09
  • On November 30, CMS released the 2010 Final Rule for the MPFS. Radiation oncology did not see the reduction in the RVUs that were in the Proposed Rule released in July of 2009. CMS determined that the increase to the equipment utilization percentage does not apply to expensive therapeutic equipment and the large practice expenses RVU reduction was decreased and will be phased in over 4 years.
  • CMS Announces New Fees - ACRO Had An Impact
  • ACRO Alert November 2, 2009
  • According to an October 30 press release by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), on January 1, 2010 CMS will institute a 1% cut to radiation oncology payments. The following three years, 2011-2013, will see cuts as well, totaling a 5% decrease from the current rates on January 1, 2014. This is in stark contrast to the original CMS plan of the much larger 19% cut for radiation oncologists. ACRO will review the entire Federal Rule and submit comments as necessary.
  • 2010 Proposed Medicare Physicians' Fee Schedule (MPFS)
  • ACRO Alert Aug 26, 2009
  • Only a few days remain if you want to help ACRO address the impact of the 2010 Proposed Medicare Physicians' Fee Schedule (MPFS).
  • 2010 Proposed Fee Schedule
  • ACRO Alert Aug 12, 2009
  • Request for Action! The 2010 proposed medicare physician fee schedule is out and it has dramatic impacts for radiation oncology. See how ACRO can help get your voice heard!
  • New Gating Code Released
  • ACRO Alert Aug 5, 2009
  • The American Medical Association recently released early information on code 0197T, a CPT® category III code, to describe 4-dimensional tracking.
  • MEDICARE FEE CUTS - REQUEST FOR ACTION
  • ACRO Alert July 27, 2009
  • ACRO response to CMS proposed physician reimbursement rule for 2010.
  • 19% Medicare Cuts in Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule!
  • ACRO Alert July 9, 2009
  • CY 2010 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule would have devastating impact on radiation oncology!
  • ACRO Conference Successful!
  • ACRO Alert June 30, 2009
  • The conference was a complete success with excellent attendance and a variety of learning opportunities for radiation oncologists that stressed practical aspects of radiation oncology.
  • AJCO Online Access
  • ACRO Alert April 30, 2009
  • Effective with the June issue of AJCO, you will be able to access the journal online by using your ACRO membership number preceded by ACRO.
  • AMA Decision on Radiation Oncology - your help is needed NOW
  • ACRO Alert March 3, 2009
  • The American Medical Association’s Board of Trustees is considering policy that would oppose any designation of radiation oncology as an "ancillary" service.
  • ACRO Needs Your Help to Continue the Fight to Overturn the Flawed Policies in the CY 2010 Proposed Physician Fee Schedule Rule.
  • ACRO Alert September 24, 2009
  • ACRO Needs Your Help to Continue the Fight to Overturn the Flawed Policies in the CY 2010 Proposed Physician Fee Schedule Rule.
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