Illinois Medical Oncology Society (IMOS)

Our Mission

We strive to promote the highest professional standards of oncology in the State of Illinois.  We create educational experiences for our members to exchange information to increase the quality of care for our patients. We act as a patient advocate to assure that patients have access to the best available care; and support and encourage clinical research against cancer.

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Walmart to Measure Doctor Quality in Local Markets
Walmart is rolling out an effort to measure the quality of community doctors who treat tens of thousands of its employees in the retailer’s latest effort to make sure its workers get the right care, in the right place and at the right time.

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Cancer Drugs Account for 27% of All New Drug Approvals in the US
Cancer drugs currently account for 27% of all new drug approvals in the United States since 2010, a dramatic increase from the 4% share of the 1980s, a newly completed analysis from the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development shows.

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HHS and FDA Release Drug Importation Plan to Lower Prices
HHS and the Food and Drug Administration released a plan on Wednesday to lay the foundation for safe importation of certain drugs intended for foreign markets. HHS Secretary Alex Azar said that the plan represents a shift in agency thinking regarding importation from foreign countries. HHS has long been resistant to importation due to concerns about drug safety, however President Trump has been pushing for importation.

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New Technology Add-on Payment: Impact on CAR T-cell Therapy Reimbursement
On August 2, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) final rule for fiscal year (FY) 2020.

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CMS Expands CAR T-cell Therapy Coverage for Medicare Beneficiaries
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that Medicare will now cover all Food and Drug Administration-approved Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR T-cell) therapy delivered in inpatient facilities.  This nationwide Medicare coverage increase for CAR T-cell therapy also opens the door for patients to receive treatment in outpatient health care facilities that are enrolled in FDS risk evaluation and mitigation strategies with expertise in delivering cellular therapies, and covers CAR T-cell therapy for off-label uses that are recommended by CMS-approved compendia.

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CMS Proposes New Electronic Prior Authorization Process to Speed Access to Care
CMS recently issued a proposed rule to update and streamline the prior authorization process under Medicare Part D.

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CMS' "Fail First" Step Therapy Policy Means Medicare Patients with Cancer Will Face More Dangerous Delays and Denials
Earlier this month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) codified its decision to allow MA plans to use “fail first” step therapy for new starts of Part B drugs for cancer and other serious diseases. The Trump administration’s decision to finalize step therapy in MA plans means that Medicare patients with cancer will face nightmares of delays and denials while trying to access their physician-prescribed treatments.

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News

2019 Spring Meeting Presentations are now available in the members area.  Please log in to view.

September 13 - 14, 2019  URGENT: IMOS Meeting Cancelled!
Lincolnshire Marriott Resort
Ten Marriott Drive · Lincolnshire, Illinois 60069 USA
1-847-634-0100

Due to flooding and the evacuation of the conference hotel, the IMOS meeting scheduled for tonight and tomorrow is cancelled.
Details will be provided when available. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Click here for registration information

New ASCO Policy Brief: Co-Pay Accumulators and Co-pay Maximizers
Co-pay accumulators and co-pay maximizers have been an area of concern amongst State Affiliate Council members.  ASCO has created a new informational policy brief to help explain these programs and provide guidance regarding its position as an organization.  The brief can be accessed by clicking below.

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New Survey Seeks Provider Input on Clinical Trial Enrollment
ASCO is participating in a joint initiative from the American Cancer Society's Cancer Action Network in conjunction with the Association of Community Cancer Centers and the Oncology Nursing Society.  Click below to access the survey.

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CMS to Collect 340B Drug Cost Information
The CMS issued a notice on September 26th that it will collect information from hospitals participating in the 340B drug discount program about the prices they pay for eligible drugs.

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Recently, State Affiliate presidents and executive directors received a mailing from Cancer.Net that included patient education materials that you and your members may find useful. These materials, along with additional resources that can be found on Cancer.Net give your patients ASCO-approved information on diagnosis, treatment, side effects, and psychosocial effects of cancer.  The ASCO Answers series includes fact sheets, booklets on specific topics in cancer care, and comprehensive, patient-friendly guides. These easy-to-read materials cover breast cancer, colorectal cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, prostate cancer, cancer survivorship, caregiving, palliative care, managing cancer-related pain, advanced cancer care planning, and much more.  ASCO members save 20 percent.  All orders include free domestic shipping. 

Order printed copies for your members online today at the ASCO Store.

August 2019 Advocacy Update

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Sharing Hospital Outpatient Payment Proposal Maintains 340B Cuts, Addresses Price Transparency and Prior Authorization
On July 29, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its proposed rule for reimbursement under the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (HOPPS) in 2020. ASCO is still analyzing the proposal and will provide more information to members as soon as possible.

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