Medicare Reform: Bundled Payments for Radiation Therapy and Patient Transportation Aid.
This act establishes a bundled, per-episode payment system for radiation therapy services under Medicare for 15 cancer types. The goal is to stabilize payments, enhance quality through accreditation, and improve patient access, notably by providing funds for transportation services for beneficiaries facing travel difficulties. Providers must also offer installment plans for patient coinsurance obligations.
Key points
Shifts Medicare payments for radiation therapy to a single, bundled rate per treatment episode, encouraging efficient, high-value, patient-centered care for 15 common cancer types.
Creates a new add-on payment (starting at $500 per episode) for providers to cover transportation costs (e.g., ride shares, public transport) for Medicare patients experiencing transportation insecurity.
Requires providers to offer payment plans for the patient's 20% coinsurance obligation, making treatment costs more manageable.
Protects other medical services by ensuring that cost savings generated by this new program cannot be used to reduce payment rates elsewhere in Medicare.
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