Thoughts from COA
New Survey Shows Sequester Cut to Cancer Care Impacting Patients and Practices
COA released a new survey showing that 69% of community oncology practices are making changes to operations and patient care as a result of the sequester cut. These changes include being forced to send patients elsewhere for treatment, laying off staff, and reopening discussions with hospitals to merge. The survey shows that if the sequester cut to cancer drugs stays in place through July 2013, more practices will be forced Read More
 

May 17, 2013: Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2013 Has 58 Cosponsors

Created on: Friday, May 17, 2013

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC) introduced a bill (H.R. 1416) that is gathering support in the House to stop the application of the sequester cut to cancer drug reimbursement. In a few short weeks, the bill is gaining support in the House, especially now that Congress has passed legislation to stop flight delays caused by the sequester.

(Read More)

May 17, 2013: How the Sequester Cuts Are Harming Oncology

Created on: Friday, May 17, 2013

In August 2011, Congress passed the Budget Control Act, which required Congress to agree to reduce the deficit by $1.2 trillion over a 9-year period—or if Congress failed to do this, automatic cuts known as “sequestration” would be implemented.

(Read More)

May 17, 2013: House votes to repeal ObamaCare

Created on: Friday, May 17, 2013

The House voted to repeal ObamaCare on Thursday for the third time since Republicans took over the chamber in 2011.

(Read More)

May 17, 2013: John Boehner: No timetable for Obamacare replacement

Created on: Friday, May 17, 2013

House Speaker John Boehner was noncommittal on when — or even if — Republicans would put a bill on the floor to replace President Barack Obama’s health care law.

(Read More)

May 17, 2013: Hospital pricing gouges patients: Our view

Created on: Friday, May 17, 2013

Shouldn't you be able to see the price of something before you buy it, so you can shop for value or simply figure out whether you can afford it? Before you roll your eyes and say, "Of course," think about the last time you bought medical care, especially in a hospital. See any price lists on the wall? Probably not. And, if you had, you might have fainted on the spot.

(Read More)

May 17, 2013: New cancer tools allow patients to reconsider chemo

Created on: Friday, May 17, 2013

After decades of using one-size-fits-all therapies to combat cancer, doctors are using new tools to help decide when their patients can skip chemotherapy or other harsh treatments.

(Read More)

May 16, 2013: Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2013 Has 58 Cosponsors

Created on: Thursday, May 16, 2013

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC) introduced a bill (H.R. 1416) that is gathering support in the House to stop the application of the sequester cut to cancer drug reimbursement. In a few short weeks, the bill is gaining support in the House, especially now that Congress has passed legislation to stop flight delays caused by the sequester.

(Read More)

May 16, 2013: Washington State Cancer Patients Found To Be At Greater Risk For Bankruptcy Than People Without A Cancer Diagnosis

Created on: Thursday, May 16, 2013

Much has been written about the relationship between high medical expenses and the likelihood of filing for bankruptcy, but the relationship between receiving a cancer diagnosis and filing for bankruptcy is less well understood.

(Read More)

May 16, 2013: Senate votes 91-7 to confirm Tavenner to head Medicare, Medicaid Services

Created on: Thursday, May 16, 2013

The Senate confirmed President Obama’s nominee to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

(Read More)

May 16, 2013: Reid To Pentagon: No Special Sequestration Treatment For You

Created on: Thursday, May 16, 2013

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has bad news for Pentagon officials, defense contractors, national park vacationers and other powerful constituencies dealing with the consequences of sequestration: unlike the Federal Aviation Administration, you won’t be getting any special treatment.

(Read More)

May 16, 2013: New Cancer Drugs Harness Power of Immune System

Created on: Thursday, May 16, 2013

Two early-stage drug studies from Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. BMY -0.83% and Roche Holding AG ROG.VX -1.13% provided fresh evidence that harnessing the power of the immune system is emerging as a promising weapon against cancer.

(Read More)

May 15, 2013: Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2013 Has 58 Cosponsors

Created on: Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers (R-NC) introduced a bill (H.R. 1416) that is gathering support in the House to stop the application of the sequester cut to cancer drug reimbursement. In a few short weeks, the bill is gaining support in the House, especially now that Congress has passed legislation to stop flight delays caused by the sequester.

(Read More)

May 15, 2013: Bishop Pushes Cancer Patient Protection Act

Created on: Wednesday, May 15, 2013

At community-based cancer treatment practices across Long Island, the federal government's sequestration cuts have hit an already-vulnerable population: cancer patients.

(Read More)

May 15, 2013: Hoyer: Dems fear ObamaCare glitches

Created on: Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Democrats anticipate glitches in ObamaCare's implementation and are anxious about the potential political fallout, Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Tuesday.

(Read More)

May 15, 2013: Jolie’s Disclosure of Preventive Mastectomy Highlights Dilemma

Created on: Wednesday, May 15, 2013

One of the defining moments in the history of breast cancer occurred in 1974 when the first lady, Betty Ford, spoke openly about her mastectomy, lifting a veil of secrecy from the disease and ushering in a new era of breast cancer awareness.

(Read More)

May 14, 2013: Tim Bishop knocks sequestration Medicare cuts

Created on: Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Rep. Tim Bishop, accompanied by doctors and patients in East Setauket, called yesterday for an end to cuts to Medicare reimbursements for cancer treatment caused by across-the-board federal budget cuts.

(Read More)

May 14, 2013: ASCO Sequestration Impact Survey: One Month Out, Sequestration Affecting Care of Medicare Cancer Patients

Created on: Tuesday, May 14, 2013

A new ASCO survey of U.S. oncology practices shows the automatic two percent budget cut to Medicare chemotherapy drug reimbursement under sequestration is already having a significant impact on care for people with cancer just one month after the federal funding reduction went into effect.

(Read More)

May 14, 2013: Week ahead: Lawmakers zero in on ‘doc fix’

Created on: Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Congress will redouble its focus on Medicare’s flawed physician payment formula this week as the Senate Finance Committee takes up the issue.

(Read More)

May 14, 2013: The Supreme Court is About to Get Another Chance to Gut Obamacare A new case in federal courts, if successful, would maim health-care reform

Created on: Tuesday, May 14, 2013

After the Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act last June, Senator Jim DeMint and Representative Michele Bachmann wrote Republican governors, urging them to refuse to establish ACA-prescribed “exchanges”—statewide health insurance markets—for small businesses and individuals not covered by employer-sponsored health plans.

(Read More)

May 14, 2013: Survey: Drug Shortages May Weaken Cancer Care

Created on: Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Shortages of cancer drugs continue to take a toll on patient care, increasing drug errors and costs, and leading in some cases to the purchase of short-supply products from “gray-market” suppliers, according to results of a new survey of oncology practitioners.

(Read More)


Fight the Medicare Sequester Cut to Cancer Care

Created on: Monday, April 01, 2013

On April 1, 2013, CMS applied the Medicare sequester cut to cancer care. All the guidance and materials you requested can be found in the Resource Center on the COA website.

(Read More)

Read the Letter 20 Organizations Sent to Congressional Leadership to Stop Cancer Care Sequestration Cut

Created on: Tuesday, March 19, 2013

According to a recent survey, the sequestration cut to cancer care will have a devastating impact on seniors and their providers, as well as costing Medicare money.

(Read More)

Estimate the Impact of the 2% Medicare Sequester Cut to Your Practice

Created on: Sunday, March 10, 2013

COA is providing a tool that will allow you to estimate the impact of the 2% Medicare sequester payment cut to drugs and services.

(Read More)

Reach Out to Your Representatives to Cosponsor Prompt Pay Solutions Bill (H.R. 800)

Created on: Tuesday, February 19, 2013

All cancer drug reimbursement from Medicare and private payers based on Average Sales Price (ASP) is artificially reduced by the inclusion of manufacturer-to-distributor prompt payment discounts in the calculation of ASP. If you want to correct this problem straining the cancer delivery system, reach out to your Representatives to ask them to cosponsor House bill H.R. 800.

(Read More)

February 15, 2013: Unique Patient Advocacy Track at the Community Oncology Conference - Register Today!

Created on: Friday, February 15, 2013

The Community Oncology Alliance (COA), a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and fostering community cancer care, today announced details of their national conference that brings together all members of the cancer community: cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, nurses, oncologists, cancer center practice administrators and industry partners. The conference will be held March 22 and 23, 2013 at the Swan & Dolphin Hotels, Disney World, Orlando, Florida.

(Read More)

Attachments

(DOCX FILE)

Evaluate the Impact of Medicare Fee Schedule Changes on Your Practice Using the COA Tool

Created on: Thursday, January 10, 2013

Based on changes to the 2013 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, including the one-year SGR patch, COA is providing a tool to help you evaulate the impact on your practice.

(Read More)

Register TODAY for the 2013 Community Oncology Conference in Disney World on March 22-23

Created on: Friday, December 21, 2012

Register TODAY for the one, must-attend event for community oncology in 2013. You won't want to miss this jam-packed event, with great presentations and opportunity to network.

(Read More)

Access the Schwartz/Heck SGR Repeal Bill

Created on: Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Representatives Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) and Joe Heck, DO (R-NV) introduced a bill that would permanently repeal the flawed SGR formula, the basis for Medicare reimbursement. This bipartisan Medicare Physician Payment Innovation Actwould avert the 32% SGR payment cut for 2013. Click h...

(Read More)

Coding Help on MUE Relating to CPT Code 96367

Created on: Tuesday, July 31, 2012

During a recent national call of the COA Administrators' Network (CAN), the issue of Medicare payment problems associated with CPT code 96367 was raised. Many practice administrators expressed concern over the rejection of submitted claims that contained more than three (3) sequentially infus...

(Read More)

Contact House and Senate Health Staff

Created on: Tuesday, July 31, 2012

We have pulled together contact information for House and Senate health legislative staff to use in outreach Click here to access contact information for House health staff and click here for Senate contacts. The lists are presented by state by Representative and Senator. Please remember to...

(Read More)

Read the Letters Cancer State Societies Sent to Members of Congress to Stop Cancer Care Cuts

Created on: Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Alabama Arizona (House letter) (Senate letter) California (Southern; sample) Colorado(Coalition of Hematology and Oncology Practices) Colorado State Society (House letter) (Senate letter) Florida (sample; letters sent to individual Representatives and Senators) Georgia Hawaii Iowa ...

(Read More)

Access the Ways & Means Report - Behind the Veil: The AARP America Doesn't Know

Created on: Tuesday, July 31, 2012

House Ways & Means Congressmen Wally Herger (R-CA) and Dave Reichert (R-WA) release their investigative report on AARP. Click here to access.

(Read More)

Watch the Cancer Crisis Video

Created on: Tuesday, July 31, 2012

(Read More)

Read the Latest COA Practice Impact Report

Created on: Tuesday, July 31, 2012

COA has updated its Community Oncology Practice Impact Report documenting the adverse impact due to Medicare public policy. Click here to access the report.

(Read More)

Access the COA “Must Read” List

Created on: Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Here is the COA “Must Read” list for all oncology professionals. Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer On-line articles: The Cost Conundrum(The New Yorker, 6/1/09) What You Don't Know Might Kill You; The right doctors can make all the differenc...

(Read More)


Promotion of COA’s Director of Patient Advocacy

Created on: Thursday, May 02, 2013

Rose Gerber has been promoted to role of Director of Communications and Patient Advocacy.

(Read More)

COA President Dr. David Eagle - Part 1 Article on the Cost of Cancer Care

Created on: Friday, October 26, 2012

Dr. David Eagle discusses the impact of cancer care on the patient. Part 1 of a series. (Read More)

(Read More)

COA Cancer Practice Impact Quoted in Sequestration Article by NPAF Head

Created on: Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Nancy Davenport-Ennis, CEO of the National Patient Advocacy Foundation, writes that the true targets of the Medicare sequestration cut are cancer patients. In the article she quotes statistics from the COA Practice Impact Report.

(Read More)

COA President Dr. David Eagle Featured in Article on Cancer Care Consolidation

Created on: Wednesday, October 10, 2012

The COA President speaks out on the consolidation of cancer care in this article from OncLive.

(Read More)

How to Fix Cancer Drug Shortages

Created on: Tuesday, July 31, 2012

COA Past President Patrick Cobb and COA Executive Director Ted Okon have been on Capitol Hill with Dr. Mark Thompson talking about how to fix the drug shortages. In this article they talk about specific solutions to the crisis.

(Read More)

COA Board Member Dr. Rick Frame Fights for a Fix to the Cancer Drug Shortages

Created on: Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Cancer drug shortages are adversely impacting patient care. Dr. Frame comments on his experience and calls on Congress to fix the crisis.

(Read More)

Dr. Rick Frame Shares a Moving Experience

Created on: Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Recommended reading of an article penned by COA Board member and practicing oncologist from Utah.

(Read More)

Oncology Medical Home Could Improve Care, Cut Cost

Created on: Tuesday, July 31, 2012

COA President David Eagle, MD discusses the future of community oncology at recent conference.

(Read More)

How Health Care Reform is Changing the Oncology Landscape (and How the Elections May Color the View)

Created on: Tuesday, July 31, 2012

COA Past President Dr. Patrick Cobb and Executive Director Ted Okon discuss the changing face of cancer care. ...

(Read More)

Dr. Patrick Cobb and Ted Okon Handicap Elections, Health Care Reform Fallout, and Year-End Medicare Cuts

Created on: Tuesday, July 31, 2012

We are ticking down on what may be historic elections. Although we are in the middle of a presidential term. ...

(Read More)

COA President Dr. Cobb Quoted in Hill News Story

Created on: Tuesday, July 31, 2012

“The problem with this high-stakes game of chicken is physicians and patients are the ones getting run over, not members of Congress,” says Dr. Cobb about the Medicare SGR debacle.

(Read More)

Government PQRI Quality Reporting Program Getting Short Shrift from Oncologists

Created on: Tuesday, July 31, 2012

COA President Dr. Patrick Cobb relates experiences with PQRI in oncology.

(Read More)

How Will Cancer Care Fare Under Health Care Reform?

Created on: Tuesday, July 31, 2012

COA President Dr. Patrick Cobb and Executive Director Ted Okon review the new law and its impact on cancer care.

(Read More)

Coverage of Oral, IV Oncology Drugs Can Hinder Patient Compliance

Created on: Tuesday, July 31, 2012

COA President Dr. Patrick Cobb quoted on major oral cancer drug study sponsored by COA. ...

(Read More)

Doctors worry that Medicare cuts will wound their practices

Created on: Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Dr. Barbara McAneny fears that she and other doctors in private practice might soon be out of business.

(Read More)

Cuts in cancer care a move in the wrong direction of health care reform, says COA

Created on: Tuesday, July 31, 2012

The Community Oncology Alliance (COA) today criticized the newest round of cuts in cancer care as a move in the wrong direction of health care reform. Although not as devastating as expected, the cuts by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) ...

(Read More)

COA President Dr. Patrick Cobb and Executive Director Ted Okon Interviewed on Cancer Care Crisis

Created on: Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Listen to the radio broadcast with Dr. Robert Warner on “House Calls.”

(Read More)

COA Past President Dr. Harry Barnes Interviewed on Cancer Care Crisis

Created on: Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Watch this TV interview on the problems facing community oncology practices. ...

(Read More)

Listen to Radio Interview with COA President Dr. Cobb and Executive Director Ted Okon

Created on: Tuesday, July 31, 2012

(Read More)

Watch Dr. Gary Gross, Blood & Cancer Center of East Texas, Interview on Healthcare Reform.

Created on: Tuesday, July 31, 2012

(Read More)

|1| 2 | Next >>

May 17, 2013: Obama seeks to weather storm

Created on: Friday, May 17, 2013

President Obama flatly declared Thursday he was unaware of the Internal Revenue Service's targeting of politically conservative groups.

(Read More)

May 16, 2013: Boehner pleads for unity among House Republicans on debt ceiling

Created on: Thursday, May 16, 2013

Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) on Wednesday pleaded with House Republicans to unify around a debt-ceiling plan, telling his conference that he did not want to have to rely on Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to help pass legislation.

(Read More)

May 15, 2013: OVERNIGHT HEALTH: GOP pounces on Sebelius's fundraising

Created on: Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Three congressional committees are now investigating the fundraising pitches Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has made on behalf of an outside group promoting ObamaCare.

(Read More)

May 15, 2013: Controversies threaten President Obama's second-term agenda

Created on: Wednesday, May 15, 2013

The White House was besieged Tuesday by three controversies that threatened President Obama’s second-term agenda and his administration’s credibility.

(Read More)

May 14, 2013: New “Grace Period” For ACA Implementation in Mass

Created on: Tuesday, May 14, 2013

These are strange days in healthcare. Even the Boston Globe is starting to push back on and question the one-size fits all approach of the ACA. See the editorial from Sunday’s paper below.

(Read More)

May 13, 2013: President Obama stares down the second-term curse

Created on: Monday, May 13, 2013

President Barack Obama genuinely believed he could buck the second-term curse of fecklessness and scandal that afflicted the last three two-term presidents, even if history — and his adversaries — suggested otherwise.

(Read More)

May 10, 2013: Democratic strategist: Party 'in decline'

Created on: Friday, May 10, 2013

One of the Democrats’ most veteran strategists warns that the party is “in decline” and “at considerable risk” when President Barack Obama is no longer on the scene.

(Read More)

May 10, 2013: Cancer Vaccines Get a Price Cut in Poor Nations

Created on: Friday, May 10, 2013

The two companies that make vaccines against cervical cancer announced Thursday that they would cut their prices to the world’s poorest countries below $5 per dose, eventually making it possible for millions of girls to be protected against a major deadly cancer.

(Read More)

May 10, 2013: John Boehner: Health care law repeal vote is for new lawmakers

Created on: Friday, May 10, 2013

House Speaker John Boehner said Thursday that next week’s vote to repeal the health reform law is being held to provide new lawmakers a chance to vote on it.

(Read More)

May 8, 2013: White House threatens veto of GOP bill to defuse debt-limit fight

Created on: Wednesday, May 08, 2013

The White House would likely veto a Republican attempt to defuse the debt limit, arguing the bill is just a "default by another name."

(Read More)

May 7, 2013: 10 people to watch in debt showdown

Created on: Tuesday, May 07, 2013

The 2013 debt-limit fight has begun. Powerful policymakers on both sides of the aisle are jockeying for position in what will be a defining moment for the 113th Congress.

(Read More)

May 7, 2013: Sequestration cuts expected to hit job market over summer

Created on: Tuesday, May 07, 2013

The sequester will take a bigger bite from the economy in the coming months as workers collect more unpaid leave and additional spending cuts are triggered, several economic experts predicted Monday.

(Read More)

May 6, 2013: Emil Frei III, Who Put Cancer Cures in Reach, Dies at 89

Created on: Monday, May 06, 2013

Dr. Emil Frei III, an oncologist whose trailblazing use of combination chemotherapy — in which anticancer drugs are administered simultaneously rather than singly — helped make certain cancers curable for the first time, died on Tuesday at his home in Oak Park, Ill. He was 89.

(Read More)

May 6, 2013: Sequestration takes its toll on the Washington area meetings business

Created on: Monday, May 06, 2013

A slowdown in government travel and conferences has made the Washington area an exception in an otherwise rebounding hospitality market nationwide.

(Read More)

May 6, 2013: Stories of Struggle and Creativity as Sequestration Cuts Hit Home

Created on: Monday, May 06, 2013

Facing the task of cutting 142 children from the Head Start program in Colorado Springs this fall, the teachers and administrators came up with a creative response: Have the children decorate empty chairs, then sell them for $500 apiece to stave off the worst of the across-the-board federal cuts heading their way.

(Read More)

May 3, 2013: Implementation isn’t what’s wrong with Obamacare

Created on: Friday, May 03, 2013

The public still doesn’t like Obamacare and still doesn’t like President Obama’s handling of health care in general.

(Read More)

May 2, 2013: President Obama signs bill to ease flight delays from FAA furloughs

Created on: Thursday, May 02, 2013

President Obama signed legislation on Wednesday to end the air traffic controller furloughs from sequestration that were blamed for hundreds of flight delays last week.

(Read More)

May 1, 2013: Botched ObamaCare rollout tops Democratic fears for 2014 election

Created on: Wednesday, May 01, 2013

Anxious Democrats fear a botched implementation of ObamaCare could dash their hopes of controlling the House and Senate for President Obama’s last two years in office.

(Read More)

May 1, 2013: Voters in Poll Want 1 Party Running White House, Congress

Created on: Wednesday, May 01, 2013

U.S. voters would prefer a White House and Congress controlled by one political party, according to a poll out today that also gives the Democrats a slight edge in next year’s congressional elections.

(Read More)

May 1, 2013: FAA fix leads to grief for Hal Rogers

Created on: Wednesday, May 01, 2013

The old county courthouse lawyer came out in Hal Rogers last week as the Kentucky Republican tore into the Federal Aviation Administration for springing on Congress — without warning he insisted — its fateful furloughs of air traffic controllers.

(Read More)

|1| 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 | Next >>

Latest Videos
COA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TED OKON TESTIFIES TO HOUSE COMMITTEE ON DRUG SHORTAGES
February 4, 2012
Ted Okon urges Congress to address the drug shortage crisis immediately. View more here... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1Ra4z-s1zA.
COA PAST PRESIDENT DR. PATRICK COBB PROVIDES THE ONCOLOGIST PERSPECTIVE IN TESTIMONY TO THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE
February 4, 2012
Dr. Cobb talks about the impact of the drug shortages on the lives of cancer patients. Support COA's efforts by visiting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giMJ52fBQ4c.
Carreen talks about the crisis in cancer care.
November 2, 2011
She's asking Congress to stop cancer care cuts. Support her efforts by visiting http://bit.ly/sl9fOB.
7/3/2012 10:33:54 AM
2013 Community Oncology Conference
View/Download
Community Oncology Conference
Presentations
Here