| Why support the Community Oncology Alliance (COA)? COA is the only non-profit organization dedicated solely to community oncology. In addition to advocating on Capitol Hill and beyond for community oncology, COA is committed to helping community oncology practices navigate these difficult times. This includes networking practices in order to unify community oncology and strengthen its position, as well as providing authoritative, timely information on a variety of topics critical to community oncology.COA relies on the support of its members. This support is more critical in 2011 than ever. Among other initiatives on behalf of community oncology, COA has undertaken the most comprehensive study ever developed to identify and quantify all of the components of care required to deliver quality cancer care. In conjunction with this, COA is working on major advocacy, public relations, and patient-centric initiatives. Community oncology needs to speak with a proactive, unified, and strong voice. |
| What is the overall agenda of COA for 2011? First, COA has been collecting a variety of data that support the complexity and increasing expense of delivering modern-day cancer care. This is being accomplished through several initiatives including the Components of Care Study and the Oral Oncolytics Study. Community oncology has never had access to this type of comprehensive data proving the value of the services it provides. This data is critical support for COA and community oncology practices in advocating for new public policy and negotiating with private payers.Second, COA is strengthening the position of community oncology by unifying it. More practices are involved with COA and over 100 individuals from community oncology – oncologists, administrators, mid-level providers, oncology nurses, pharmacists, and patients/survivors – are actively and regularly involved in COA governance and committees. COA is enhancing its efforts to help community oncology practices become more effective and efficient in navigating these changing times. In conjunction with this, COA is actively working with other organizations that support community oncology.
Third, COA continues to build the political clout of community oncology in Washington, DC. This includes employing an experienced team to lobby Members of Congress on Capitol Hill, as well as the Administration and other government agencies. As importantly, COA will help practices enhance their outreach to their Members of Congress in the grassroots. Additionally, COA has the only political action committee (COA PAC) dedicated to independent oncology. |
| What is the specific public policy agenda for 2011? In general, COA believes that the Medicare system is broken. Medicare payment cuts to oncology are unsustainable and dismantling the cancer care delivery system. This situation is worsened by the underlying flawed sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula, which is the basis of Medicare reimbursement. Congress calls for the SGR to be fixed by repealing it and for all Medicare oncology-specific payment cuts to be stopped.COA believes that ensuring the delivery of quality health care is critical in treating cancer patients. We also recognize the responsibility of making cancer care effective and cost-efficient as possible. As a result, a COA task force of oncologists spent close to a year developing a system of principles ensuring quality and efficiency associated with treatment planning and follow-up cancer planning. COA worked with the Congress in crafting this into a demonstration project that was used as the basis for legislation (H.R. 3675) and was included in the health care reform law under the CMS Innovation Center. We applaud the inclusion of this project in the law and are pressing the Administration to implement this demonstration project with appropriate funding. Click here to access a copy of the demonstration project that COA has submitted to the Administration.
COA supports H.R. 1392 and S. 1221, identical bills that eliminate prompt payment discounts from the calculation of Average Sales Price (ASP). Prompt payment discounts from the manufacturer to the distributor are financing decisions that are not passed on to community cancer clinics. However, inclusion of these prompt pay discounts artificially reduces all drug reimbursement rates based on ASP. Fixing the prompt payment problem is specific to drug reimbursement and only addresses the tip of the iceberg of problems associated with reimbursement for drugs and essential cancer care services. |
| What has COA done since its creation in 2003 on behalf of community cancer care? COA was instrumental in fighting for significant reimbursement increases as part of the MMA. There were those involved in crafting the MMA who were intent on reducing Medicare drug reimbursement to ASP + 2-3% and only increasing services reimbursement by $150 million. COA provided data and successfully fought to get this increased to ASP + 6% and over $550 million in services reimbursement. Also, COA secured additional Medicare funding in 2005 in the form of the $300 million demonstration project and the 2006 demonstration project. Currently, COA is working on legislative solutions to key problems associated with Medicare drug and services reimbursement. Overall, COA has awakened the consciousness of community oncology about the importance of reaching out and interacting with Members of Congress. Community practices all across the country have now formed close relationships with their Members of Congress and have hosted Members in their practices to see cancer care through the eyes of a cancer patient.During the fall of 2009, COA engaged community oncology to fight the Medicare oncology-specific payment cuts that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services planned to make in 2010. As a result of this effort, payment cuts in 2010 of 22% for drug administration services were averted. |
| What resources does COA have to fight for community oncology? More than 100 individuals from the cancer community – oncologists, administrators, mid-level providers, oncology nurses, and survivors – volunteer their time on a regular basis to govern COA and serve on committees that ensure that COA is serving the interests of community oncology. Additionally, COA retains a full-time and consultant staff to manage COA, provide services to member practices, and to lobby Congress and the Administration. As importantly, COA empowers community oncology practices across the United States to advocate for their patients. It is this grassroots approach that empowers an ongoing lobbying campaign in Washington, DC. In this era of healthcare cost containment, the combined approach of grassroots and professional lobbying is essential to stopping the dismantling of community oncology. |
| How is COA governed? COA is a non-profit, 501.c.6 organization that is controlled by community oncologists. COA has seven oncologist executive officers and a practice administrator treasurer who report to a Board of Directors comprised of representatives from community oncology and who direct the management of COA by its Executive Director, Ted Okon. Members of the COA Board of Directors can be found under the Governance section of the COA website. Members of the Executive Committee can be found under the Committees section of the COA website. |
| How is COA funded? COA is funded by the membership contributions of community oncology practices. Additionally, COA has corporate members that are currently comprised of pharmaceutical and distribution companies. Corporate membership is intended to foster communications and education among those individuals and entities with an interest in protecting the quality, affordability, and accessibility of the community cancer care delivery system in this country. COA maintains a strict policy of independence from commercial influences, such as those related to specific companies, products, or services. This policy is enforced by the COA Board of Directors. Fundamentally, a mission of fostering and protecting the quality, affordability, and accessibility of cancer care for all Americans governs every COA policy and endeavor. Funds are used for education, projects, advocacy, staffing, and to maintain an office in Washington, DC. |
