ARLINGTON, Va., April 4, 2025 — The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) issued the following statement from Howard M. Sandler, MD, FASTRO, Chair of the ASTRO Board of Directors in response to Dr. Mehmet Oz’s confirmation as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS):
“ASTRO congratulates Dr. Mehmet Oz on his confirmation as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. As cancer specialists devoted to improving patient outcomes, we look forward to working collaboratively with Dr. Oz and the CMS team on critical priorities including Medicare payment reform and prior authorization.
Most Americans diagnosed with cancer are covered by Medicare, making CMS policies central to their access to timely, high-quality care. We encourage the new CMS leadership to support bipartisan, patient-centered solutions such as the Radiation Oncology Case Rate (ROCR) Act, which would help ensure stable reimbursement and reliable access to cancer care in communities nationwide. ASTRO stands ready to partner with CMS to advance reforms that keep patients at the center of every policy decision."
The was introduced in Congress last month by a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers in an effort to create a stable, sustainable reimbursement structure focused on patient care and quality.
Nearly 100 stakeholders from a wide spectrum of cancer care — including patient advocacy groups, hospitals, independent clinics, medical societies and technology companies — recently signed a urging congressional leaders to pass the ROCR Act. Organizations including the US Oncology Network, LUNGevity Foundation, AdvaMed and the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship wrote, “Radiation therapy is primed to make incredible gains for people with cancer, but the current Medicare payment system is prohibiting the investments necessary to further reduce cancer mortality. We remain committed to payment reform that achieves better outcomes and lower costs for patients.“
ABOUT ASTRO
The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) is the largest radiation oncology society in the world, with more than 10,000 members who are physicians, nurses, biologists, physicists, radiation therapists, dosimetrists and other health care professionals who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. Radiation therapy contributes to 40% of global cancer cures, and more than a million Americans receive radiation treatments for cancer each year. For information on radiation therapy, visit . To learn more about ASTRO, visit our and and follow us on .
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