http://www.helenair.com/news/opinion...cc4c03286.html
Support oncology amendment to bill
By Robert D. Pfeffer, IR Letter to the Editor | Posted: Sunday, September 27, 2009 12:00 am
I am an oncologist practicing in Helena. I am encouraging people to ask Sen. Baucus to support the amendment to the Senate health reform bill being offered by Sen. Lincoln. This addresses the shocking cuts in reimbursement for radiation oncology services contained in the CMS 2010 fee schedule proposed rule.
The proposed fee reductions will injure Montanans by removing the reimbursement for high technology medicine. High technology medicine is costly to install and maintain and must be supported by appropriate reimbursements. In my career, which began in 1990, I have seen tremendous improvement in the quality of radiation medicine in this state. Montana facilities in the early 1990s had to use equipment that was 15 years out of date. Montanans with means often left the state to go to Seattle or Salt Lake or Mayo knowing they could get better care out of state and Montanans without means stayed here and received lesser quality care.
Montana cancer care has gone from cobalt therapy to having the only Cyberknife between Seattle and Minneapolis. The old low-tech era is bygone but will certainly return after the proposed radiation oncology fee cuts go through.
As a senator with special standing regarding health care policy, Baucus can do much to help the ordinary Montanan continue to receive state-of-the-art cancer treatment at home. While the wealthy will always be able to jet off to Johns Hopkins, we want to provide technical excellence for the ordinary fellow and his family right here in Montana. The proposed 2010 fee schedule for radiation oncology services may once again force us to accept lesser quality cancer care than citizens of other states.
Robert D. Pfeffer, MD
5585 York Road
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