The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (Innovation Center) is seeking feedback regarding a potential new model for value-based payment to support high-quality oncology care. The proposed Oncology Care First Model under consideration and open for comments. The full request can be downloaded at: https://innovation.cms.gov/Files/x/ocf-informalrfi.pdf

A key component of this proposed payment model is integration of patient-reported outcomes into practice for monitoring patient symptoms. Details for the PRO part is item #7 for the listed care changes in the pdf at https://innovation.cms.gov/Files/x/ocf-informalrfi.pdf. This would be a wonderful and significant addition for patients and PROs, if it is kept in the final model. Insurance reimbursement for PROs has been the missing piece in bringing PROs into practice for cancer care. Unfortunately, there are still voices out there that don’t agree, claiming that this is cumbersome and unnecessary. So, if you think PROs in clinical care needs to stay in this new Oncology Care First Model, please feel free to write response letters to Medicare stating how important this is for patients and patient-centered care. 

Letters from patients may help make sure this stays in the proposal. Please pass along.... and consider submitting a letter to support the use of PROs in clinical care. Deadline has beeen xtended to December 13, 2019