News in brief - Nov. 1, 2004

Medicare adopts changes in pay for cancer drugs - Calif. officials support emergency department funding ballot question

Medicare adopts changes in pay for cancer drugs

Changes in the way the federal government will reimburse oncologists for the administration of cancer drugs starting in January 2005 have been adopted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology estimates that the CMS revisions, based on recommendations from two American Medical Association working groups, will reduce next year's projected $500 million cut in Medicare cancer care payments by $100 million. Included in the AMA-recommended changes are new codes for multiple chemotherapy/non-chemotherapy infusions and new payment adjustments for the staff time required to prepare and administer the treatments.

Lawmakers who had requested the modifications joined ASCO in characterizing the move as a good start and in expressing disappointment that CMS had not yet released the full list of 2005 payment rates to accompany the new codes.

Calif. officials support emergency department funding ballot question

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors by a 3-2 vote in October backed a measure slated for California's November ballot that would raise $600 million annually to help pay for emergency medical care, community clinics, and trauma and emergency departments in the state.

Proposition 67 calls for increasing the 911 surcharge on in-state calls from 0.72% to 3.72%. The charge would be capped at 50 cents per month for residential telephones, and senior citizens and those on lifeline service would be exempt.

The Los Angeles County Medical Society, the California Medical Assn. and the California Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians are among the groups that support the measure.

"This initiative will provide critical funds to our beleaguered trauma care system so that emergency rooms remain open to provide lifesaving services," said Los Angeles County Medical Assn. President and emergency physician Daniel Higgins, MD, in a statement.