03/19/2019

Important Oncology Related News

340B Commission’s Final Report on the 340B Drug Discount Program

The 340B Drug Pricing Program was created at a time when nonprofit health- care providers were spending to ensure that patients had access to medicine to treat acute and chronic healthcare problems.  READ MORE 

ASTRO Releases Updated Radiation Oncology Safety Guide

(ASTRO) Mar 13, 2019 - The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) published an update today to its framework for safe and effective radiation therapy treatment. READ PRESS RELEASE

Urge Congress to Support Cancer Treatment Fairness

(ASCO in Action) Mar 15, 2019 - Members of Congress recently introduced the Cancer Drug Parity Act (H.R. 1730/S. 741), which would ensure patient cost sharing for oral and other self-administered anticancer drugs is no less favorable than for traditional intravenous (IV) medication administered in an office setting. READ ARTICLE

News Alert: E&M Changes Coming Soon
E&M code changes are expected to become effective in 2021.

The American Medical Association (AMA) released on March 8 the summary of panel actions that took place at the February 2019 CPT® panel meeting. The exact wording is not considered to be finalized until just prior to the release of the following year’s code set.  Furthermore, more specific information than what is shared through panel actions may be released prior to publication of the new code set. 

With those stipulations, there were panel actions that will have a significant impact on Office and Outpatient Evaluation and Management (E&M) coding that will take effect Jan. 1, 2021.

Deletion of CPT 99201   READ MORE