On July 10, 2019, CMS put on public display a proposed rule that would implement two new mandatory Medicare payment models under section 1115A of the Social Security Act—the Radiation Oncology Model (RO Model) and the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Treatment Choices Model (ETC Model). The proposed RO Model is an innovative payment model designed to improve the quality of care for cancer patients receiving radiotherapy treatment and reduce provider burden by moving toward a simplified and predictable payment system. The ETC Model is one of five new payment models CMS announced last week aimed at transforming kidney care to improve access to high quality care and reducing Medicare expenditures. The rule details the proposed geographic units of section for model participation, Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) for the RO Model and Hospital Referral Regions (HRRs) for the ETC Model, with implications for rural participation. The proposed rule is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on July 18, and public comments are due 60 days after publication. Click here for more information.
