An Important Message Concerning Physician Reimbursement

As you know, the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 includes significant changes to how physicians are reimbursed for drugs administered in their offices. According to CMS, Medicare drug revenues for hematology/oncology will decline by approximately 8 percent in 2005 as a result of the proposed rule.
 
In order to make our case to CMS and to Members of Congress, we must show that the new ASP payment rates would have unintended adverse consequences to hematology practices.  Therefore, we are seeking your help in collecting data to show how much you pay for specific drugs so that we can assess the impact of the proposed rule on hematologists.  Once we collect this information, ASH will prepare comments to the proposed rule and share this comment letter with hematologists to send to CMS.
 
Your participation in the survey below is critical for ASH to make convincing arguments and alternative proposals to Congress and the CMS.  Please print out the five question survey below, fill it out, and fax it back to ASH at 202-776-0545 no later than September 15, 2004.  We understand that some physicians are reluctant to share specific information as to what you pay for these products. If that is the case, we would appreciate your advising whether the price indicated (ASP + 6%) for the drugs listed covers your most recent acquisition cost for the drugs.
  
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact ASH Director of Government Relations and Practice Mila Becker at 202-776-0544.
 
Thank you in advance for your participation.

Click here to print the survey