Community Oncology Alliance Urges CMS to Act Immediately on Radiation Oncology Payment Crisis

Letter to CMS Notes Major Medicare Reimbursement Shortfall That Started in 2026 for Radiation Oncology Threatens Patient Access

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, March 31, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Community Oncology Alliance (COA) is calling for immediate action to address a significant Medicare reimbursement shortfall for radiation therapy services in 2026 that threatens patient access to cancer care.

In a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), COA notes that recent changes to radiation oncology coding consolidated multiple services, including intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT), into a smaller number of treatment delivery codes. While these changes reflect the realities of modern cancer care, Medicare payment has not been updated to account for the full scope of services now included, resulting in a substantial misalignment between reimbursement and the resources required to deliver care.

- Click here to read COA’s full letter to CMS.

“This is about protecting patient access to high-quality cancer treatment in the community,” said Debra Patt, MD, PhD, MBA, Executive Vice President Policy and Strategy at Texas Oncology, and President of COA. “Radiation therapy is a cornerstone of cancer care, and today it depends on advanced imaging, precise targeting, and highly trained clinical teams. When payment does not reflect what it takes to deliver that care, patients are the ones who face the consequences. We risk treatment delays, longer travel distances, and reduced access, especially for patients in rural and underserved communities.”

Radiation oncology is a capital-intensive specialty that requires significant investment in equipment, technology, and specialized staff. Independent, community-based practices, which treat a large share of Medicare patients, cannot absorb sudden and severe payment reductions of this magnitude. If not addressed, these cuts are expected to force site-of-care shifts to higher-cost hospital settings while also creating capacity challenges that could delay treatment.

“CMS has the authority to address this issue and should act quickly to correct it,” said Ted Okon, MBA, Executive Director of COA. “This situation is the result of a structural payment problem following coding changes, not a reduction in the resources required to deliver care. This can’t wait for 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule rulemaking. Immediate administrative action is needed to stabilize reimbursement, ensure accurate valuation, and prevent disruption to patient care. COA looks forward to working with CMS on a timely solution.”

COA’s letter outlines the urgency of the issue and emphasizes that CMS has existing tools to address the problem through administrative action. The organization is continuing to assess potential policy approaches and is engaging with stakeholders to ensure that any solution preserves access to care while maintaining appropriate valuation of radiation oncology services.

Read the full letter to CMS at https://mycoa.communityoncology.org/publications/comment-letters/coa-radiation-oncology-letter.

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About the Community Oncology Alliance (COA)
The Community Oncology Alliance (COA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for community oncology practices and, most importantly, the patients they serve. COA is the only organization dedicated solely to community oncology, where the majority of Americans with cancer are treated. The mission of COA is to ensure that patients with cancer receive quality, affordable, and accessible cancer care in their own communities. Learn more at www.communityoncology.org.

Drew Lovejoy
Community Oncology Alliance
info@coacancer.org

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