New Strategies magazine - Perspectives on COVID-19

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CMS Finalizes FY 2021 Inpatient Rule
On September 2, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the FY 2021 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Final Rule. ASH submitted comments in July on the proposed rule. The Society is pleased that many of the provisions ASH supported have been finalized, including the creation of a new Medicare Severity Diagnosis Related Group (MS-DRG) for Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell Immunotherapy, now the highest weighted MS-DRG with an unadjusted national base payment of around $240,000. CMS also finalized its proposal to exclude clinical trial cases from the calculation of the weight of the new MS-DRG in order to account for the cost differentiation between clinical trial and non-clinical trial cases. CMS’s final ruling on CAR-T reimbursement is a major advocacy win for ASH!

ASH Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts
Help ASH eliminate inequities in hematology by getting involved with our diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. ASH has created an online library related to its programs in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, which includes a growing archive of stories from diverse voices in hematology.

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NEW ASH Virtual Listening Sessions on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Coming soon: The ASH Virtual Listening Sessions on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will explore issues facing those from backgrounds traditionally disadvantaged in medicine, as well as DEI opportunities in the hematology community. ASH is currently seeking participants willing to share their thoughts and experiences on DEI issues related to race, ethnicity, gender, ability, and/or sexual orientation for the first set of listening sessions.

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CMS Releases Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule
On August 3, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the CY 2021 Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule. CMS is not proposing any changes to the values of the outpatient evaluation and management (E/M) services finalized in the CY 2020 rulemaking. If this rule is finalized as proposed, hematology/oncology is projected to see an increase of 14% in 2021.

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Administration Releases Four Executive Orders on Drug Pricing
On July 24, President Trump signed four executive orders all aimed at reducing the cost of prescription drugs. None of the orders will go into effect immediately as all will have to go through the federal rulemaking process.

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