Clinical Practice Updates

Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Automatic Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances (EUC) Policy Applied to MIPS Eligible Clinicians Following Hurricanes Helene and Francine

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Becerra recently released a letter to healthcare leaders and stakeholders on the impacts of Hurricane Helene, which can be found on the HHS website. In response to Hurricanes Helene and Francine, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has determined that the MIPS automatic…

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United Healthcare

New Protocol Updates Available For The National Gold Card Program

UnitedHealthcare remains committed to modernizing the prior authorization process and simplifying the health care experience for consumers and health care professionals. Our UnitedHealthcare National Gold Card program is available for provider groups who meet eligibility requirements. The National Gold Card program recognizes qualified practices that have consistently demonstrated adherence to evidence-based guidelines.

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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Releases the First Ten Drug Prices Negotiated in IRA Process for Part D

The Biden-Harris Administration announced that it has reached agreements for new, lower prices for all 10 drugs selected for negotiations. According to CMS, these negotiated drugs are some of the most expensive and most frequently dispensed drugs in the Medicare program and are used to treat conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. The…

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Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Automatic Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances (EUC) Policy Applied to MIPS Eligible Clinicians in Florida

In response to Hurricane Debby, as identified by both the Health and Human Services (HHS) Public Health Emergency (PHE) declaration (Florida) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster declaration (DR-4806-FL), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has determined that the MIPS automatic EUC policy will apply to MIPS eligible clinicians in designated affected…

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2025 Hospital Inpatient Payment Rule Addresses Drug Shortages, Social Determinants of Health, Graduate Medical Education; Finalizes New Payment Model

CMS issued the fiscal year (FY) 2025 Medicare Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) and Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Prospective Payment System (PPS) final rule. The rule finalizes updates to Medicare fee-for-service payment rates and policies for inpatient hospitals and LTCHs for FY 2025. Key highlights of the final rule include: Standardized Amount, Drug Shortages,…

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ASCO

ASCO Research Statement Details Recommendations To Improve Accessibility Of Cancer Clinical Trials Through Decentralization

Strategies to bring clinical trials closer to patients gained momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling more participants to receive treatment and/or testing in their local communities. Incorporation of decentralized trial elements presents both opportunities and challenges, spanning regulatory, technical, and operational aspects. This ASCO research statement includes timely consensus-driven recommendations and a call for engagement…

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ASCO

Health Information Exchange Proposal Focuses on Real-Time Benefit Tools, Information Blocking, Interoperability

The Department of Health and Human Service, through the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), released the Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Patient Engagement, Information Sharing, and Public Health Interoperability (HTI-2) proposed rule. The HTI-2 proposal includes new and revised standards and certification criteria for the ONC Health IT Certification Program…

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BioSpace

New Cervical Cancer Guidelines Released

The American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP) is proud to announce a major milestone by the groundbreaking Enduring Guidelines initiative, aimed at revolutionizing the fight against cervical cancer. In a bid to ensure the most current and effective clinical management strategies, the Enduring Guidelines process seeks to integrate emerging technologies and the latest…

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First Coast Service Options

2024 MEDPARD Available Now!

The 2024 Medicare Participation Physicians / Suppliers Directory (MEDPARD) is now available. As in the past, there will be no hardcopy distributions. Beneficiaries can use the Physician Compare website or contact 1-800-MEDICARE for assistance in locating a participating supplier near their home.

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CMS Releases Guidance for Code G2211

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released guidance on the billing requirements for G2211 to ensure that coding and billing staff know when to bill the code, the necessary documentation requirements, and the associated patient coinsurance and deductibles. In the 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule, CMS finalized coding and reimbursement…

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CMS Releases Final Rule on Prior Authorization and Interoperability

On January 17, 2024, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released the “CMS Interoperability and Prior Authorization final rule (CMS-0057-F).” The rule would place new requirements on Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations, state Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Fee-for-Service programs, Medicaid managed care plans, CHIP managed care entities, and Qualified Health Plan (QHP)…

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New Guidance on Medicare Inflation Rebates Adjusts for Drug Shortages

CMS published revised guidance on the Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program. That program was established under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which requires drug companies to pay a rebate to Medicare if they raise their prices for certain drugs faster than the rate of inflation. Specifically, IRA established inflation rebates for single-source drugs and…

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American Cancer Society

CMS Investigative Study to Examine Benefit of Multi-Cancer Early Detection Tests for Medicare Beneficiaries

A Pathway to Coverage Once Tests Show Clinical Benefit a Critical Next Step WASHINGTON, DC – November 20, 2023 – Grail, LLC announced this morning that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) study for the company’s Galleri multi-cancer early detection (MCED) test…

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ASCO

Medicare Physician Conversion Factor Cut 3.37% for 2024

On November 2, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its final rule for the 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) and updates to the Quality Payment Program (QPP). The agency also released the 2024 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (HOPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System final rule, along with the 340B…

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Heme Onc Call an option for off site consult for blood disorders

After 15 years of hospital-based heme/onc practice, Dr. Steve Fein started Heme Onc Call to service hospitals that have little or no heme/onc consultant availability. Dr. Fein has a deep-seated passion for helping patients with both nonmalignant blood disorders and blood cancers, and has come to realize that all hospitals need inpatient heme/onc specialty care….

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Signatera Test to Assess Residual Disease

Signatera is a personalized, tumor informed circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) test for molecular residual disease (MRD) assessment and surveillance monitoring. Signatera’s unique assay design is optimized to detect low levels of ctDNA with high sensitivity and specificity earlier than current colorectal cancer (CRC) standard of care. Signatera recently received Medicare draft coverage for certain forms…

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CMS Permits Medicare Part B to impose step therapy on new starts

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) announced a final rule permitting Medicare Part B plans, including those administered through Medicare Advantage, to impose step therapy on new starts of Part B drugs. CMS noted that this utilization management tool will “ensure that Medicare beneficiaries pay less overall … for Part B drugs.” CMS…

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UnitedHealthcare policy that might affect your workflow or process within your practice/facility.

Effective June 1 or October 1, 2019, (based on your contract) UnitedHealthcare will no longer reimburse Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Consultation Codes 99241 to 99255 when billed by any health care professional or medical practice.    For detailed information about the updated policy, please review page 20 of the March 2019 edition of the UnitedHealthcare Network…

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Announcing a New First-Line Indication for a Genentech Therapy

Genentech is excited to share the news of a new FDA-approved indication. TECENTRIQ, in combination with carboplatin and etoposide, is indicated for the first-line (1L) treatment of adult patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). Please see the attached TECENTRIQ 1L SCLC Day 1 Letter, as well as the TECENTRIQ full Prescribing Information, for…

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FDA Approves Genentech’s Tecentriq in Combination with Chemotherapy for the Initial Treatment of People with Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

The FDA approved Tecentriq (atezolizumab), in combination with carboplatin and etoposide (chemotherapy), for the initial (first-line) treatment of adults with extensive-stage small lung cancer (ES-SCLC). It is the first new initial treatment option approved by the FDA for people with ES-SCLC in more than 20 years. The Genentech press release including Important Safety Information is…

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Updated Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology for Colon and Rectal Cancer

National Comprehensive Cancer Network© (NCCN©) has updated the Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology for Colon and Rectal Cancer to include BRAFTOVI® in combination with MEKTOVI® and cetuximab or panitumumab as a Category 2a treatment for patients with BRAFV600E-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), after failure of one to two prior lines of therapy for metastatic disease….

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NCCN has published updates to theNCCN Guidelines® and NCCN Compendium® for Penile Cancer.

NCCN has published updates to the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) and the NCCN Drugs & Biologics Compendium (NCCN Compendium®) for Penile Cancer. These NCCN Guidelines® are currently available as Version 1.2017. Primary treatment Tis or Ta disease (PN-1) The second option was revised: “Wide local excision .” The fifth option was…

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NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) and the NCCN Drugs & Biologics Compendium (NCCN Compendium®) for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

NCCN has published updates to the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) and the NCCN Drugs & Biologics Compendium (NCCN Compendium®) for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. These NCCN Guidelines® are currently available as Version 2.2017.  Metastatic Disease (NSCL-17) Testing results modified for PD-L1: PD-L1 positive and EGFR, ALK, ROS1 negative or unknown Subsequent…

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CMS Finalizes the New Medicare Quality Payment Program  – MACRA

On October 14, HHS finalized its policy implementing the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and the Advanced Alternative Payment Model (APM) incentive payment provisions in the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA), collectively referred to as the Quality Payment Program. Accompanying the announcement is a new Quality Payment Program website, which will explain the…

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ARRANON® (nelarabine) NDC NUMBER CHANGE

NDC NUMBER CHANGE Former GlaxoSmithKline (fGSK) Products EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, please note that the current NDC numbers are being replaced by the NEW NDC NUMBERS referenced below: Product Name: ARRANON® (nelarabine) Old NDC #0007-4401-06 New NDC # 0078-0683-06 Package Size: 6 vials x 50 mL Package Strength: 250 mg/50 mL Direct Purchasers:  Effective immediately, please use the New…

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Announcing a Unique C-code for a Genentech BioOncology(R) product

The following is important information regarding a unique C-code that was recently assigned to TECENTRIQ™ (atezolizumab) by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The C-code for TECENTRIQ is C9483 (Injection, atezolizumab, 10 mg). The unique C-code goes into effect on October 1, 2016. Payers may require its use until a permanent J-code is…

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NCCN has published updates to the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Survivorship

NCCN has published updates to the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. These NCCN Guidelines® are currently available as Version 2.2016.  The Discussion section has been updated to reflect the changes in the algorithm. (MS-1) *For your reference, the previous update (Version 1.2016) to the NCCN Guidelines for Acute…

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Free PQRS Reporting Now Available Through QOPI®; No Additional Reporting Required 

ASCO is pleased to announce that oncology practices can now complete all of their Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) requirements through the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®) platform. All users will be able to use the QOPI system to fulfill the Oncology Measures Group set of seven measures for PQRS reporting. QOPI is free to…

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NCCN has published updates to the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) for Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment: Colorectal and Kidney Cancer

NCCN has published updates to the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) for Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment: Colorectal. These NCCN Guidelines® are currently available as Version 2.2016.  The Discussion section has been updated to reflect the changes in the algorithm. (MS-1) *For your reference, the previous update (Version 1.2016) to the NCCN Guidelines for…

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NCCN has published updates to the NCCN Guidelines® and NCCN Compendium® for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma (SLL).

NCCN has published updates to the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) and NCCN Drugs & Biologics Compendium (NCCN Compendium®) for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma (SLL). These NCCN Guidelines® are currently available as Version 1.2017.  ·         The NCCN Guidelines for CLL/SLL (previously included as part of NCCN Guidelines for Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphomas) have…

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NCCN has published updates to the NCCN Guidelines® for Small Cell Lung Cancer

NCCN has published updates to the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) for Small Cell Lung Cancer. These NCCN Guidelines® are currently available as Version 2.2017. The discussion section has been updated to reflect the changes in the algorithm. *For your reference, the previous update (Version 1.2017) to the NCCN Guidelines for Small…

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NCCN has published updates to the NCCN Guidelines® for Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment: Breast and Ovarian.

NCCN has published updates to the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) for Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment: Breast and Ovarian. These NCCN Guidelines® are currently available as Version 1.2017. Breast and Ovarian Cancer Risk Assessment (BR/OV-1) First column, 2nd bullet, “An individual with a breast cancer diagnosis meeting any of the following” For the 4th…

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ASCO, ASTRO and SSO update guideline on postmastectomy radiotherapy

Three leading national cancer organizations today issued a joint clinical practice guideline update for physicians treating women with breast cancer who have undergone a mastectomy. The update provides additional considerations for physicians to determine which patients might benefit from postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT). “We still don’t have a single, validated formula that can determine who needs…

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NCCN has published updates to the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) for Older Adult Oncology. These NCCN Guidelines® are currently available as Version 2.2016.

NCCN has published updates to the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) for Older Adult Oncology. These NCCN Guidelines® are currently available as Version 2.2016.  Disease-Specific Issues Related to Age/Central Nervous System Cancers: (OAO-B 8 of 32) The recommendations for adjuvant therapy for newly diagnosed patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) were revised as…

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FDA Modifies nivolumab Dosing for Three Indications

On September 13, 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration modified the dosage regimen for nivolumab (Opdivo, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.) for the currently approved indications for renal cell carcinoma, metastatic melanoma, and non-small cell lung cancer. The currently approved recommended dosage regimens were modified to 240 mg intravenously (IV) every two weeks. The approval modifies the…

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CMS Correcting Errors to Updated Coverage Policy for Genetic Tests

  ASCO has confirmed that CMS is currently working to correct technical errors that occurred when they recently updated national coverage policies regarding certain genetic tests. CMS confirms that steps are being taken to reprocess claims that have been denied.   According to CMS, the errors occurred during the mapping process from ICD-9 to ICD-10. During…

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FDA Approves BLINCYTO® (blinatumomab) For Use In Pediatric Patients With Philadelphia Chromosome-Negative Relapsed Or Refractory B-cell Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Amgen  announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for BLINCYTO®(blinatumomab) to include new data supporting the treatment of pediatric patients with Philadelphia chromosome-negative (Ph-) relapsed or refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). This indication is approved under accelerated approval, and continued approval may be…

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Cigna Revises Policy, Will Cover 3D Mammography For Breast Cancer Screening

Cigna has revised its medical coverage policy for breast cancer screening and will now cover three-dimensional (3D) mammography for routine breast cancer screening. Under its previous policy, the company covered 3D mammography for diagnostic purposes, but not for routine screening.   The policy had been based on guidance from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force…

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New NCCN Imaging Appropriate Use Criteria Published for Eight Cancer Types

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®), a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)-approved provider-led entity for imaging appropriate use criteria (AUC), continues to build its library of AUC and has published NCCN Imaging Appropriate Use Criteria (NCCN Imaging AUC™) for eight new cancer types. Launched in June 2016, NCCN Imaging AUC™ currently are available…

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AMERIGEN Announces Final Approval From FDA For Generic Version of Temodar®

Amerigen Pharmaceuticals Limited (“Amerigen”)  announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted final approval to the Company’s Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for a generic version of Temodar® (temozolomide capsules 5, 20, 100, 140, 180 and 250mg). The product has been launched and is manufactured by Stason Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Stason”) in Irvine,…

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PEMBROLIZUMAB (KEYTRUDA) Is Now Indicated For Recurrent or Metastatic HNSCC

  FDA granted accelerated approval to pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA injection, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.) for the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) with disease progression on or after platinum-containing chemotherapy. Click here for Merck’s announcement   For More FDA Information Click Here   Medication Guide   Prescribing Information…

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foundation medicine

Foundation Medicine Launches Blood-Based Liquid Biopsy, FoundationACT

  Foundation Medicine has launched a new assay, FoundationACT (Assay for Circulating Tumor DNA), a rigorously validated and highly accurate blood-based circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) assay that provides patients and oncologists with a new option for comprehensive genomic profiling when a tissue biopsy is not feasible or when tissue is not available. By analyzing cell-free…

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Infusion Pump Billing Update

CMS recently provided additional clarification to MACs and providers regarding reimbursement for prolonged drug and biological infusions that are started in the office or outpatient hospital and are associated with care that is billed incident to a physician service using an external pump. In order for Medicare to pay for a drug or biological, the…

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AbbVie and Bristol-Myers Squibb Announce Oncology Clinical Collaboration to Evaluate the Combination of Rova-T plus Opdivo and Opdivo + Yervoy Regimen

  AbbVie and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company  announced a clinical trial collaboration to evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of AbbVie’s investigational biomarker-specific antibody drug conjugate Rova-T (rovalpituuzumab tesirine) in combination with Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Opdivo (nivolumab) and Opdivo + Yervoy (ipilimumab) regimen as a treatment for relapsed extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC). The Phase 1/2…

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FDA Approved

FDA clears first quantitative nucleic acid assay for BCR-ABL

Molecular Test to Guide CML Therapy OK’d FDA clears first quantitative nucleic acid assay for BCR-ABL A molecular diagnostic for measuring BCR-ABL levels in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) was cleared for marketing Friday, the FDA announced. It’s the first quantitative nucleic acid assay for this purpose to be approved in the U.S., the…

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Merck is pleased to announce that EMEND for oral suspension is now available.

Merck is pleased to announce that EMEND for oral suspension is now available. (Click the below image to enlarge)     EMEND® is a substance P/neurokinin 1 (NK1) receptor antagonist. EMEND for oral suspension is indicated in combination with other antiemetic agents, in patients 6 months of age and older for prevention of: acute and delayed nausea and…

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Heron-therapeutics

Heron Therapeutics Announces U.S. FDA Approval of SUSTOL® (granisetron) Extended-Release Injection for the Prevention of Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting

Heron Therapeutics Announces U.S. FDA Approval of SUSTOL® (granisetron) Extended-Release Injection for the Prevention of Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting SUSTOL is the first extended-release 5-HT3 receptor antagonist approved for the prevention of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting associated with both moderately emetogenic chemotherapy and anthracycline and cyclophosphamide combination chemotherapy regimens A standard of care…

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FDA Approved pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA) for Recurrent or Metastatic HNSCC

On August 5, 2016, the U. S. Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA injection, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.) for the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) with disease progression on or after platinum-containing chemotherapy. The approval was based on demonstration of a…

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CMS Releases Proposed Medicare Payment Rules for 2017

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued two proposed rules to update payment policies and payment rates for services furnished under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS). CMS will be accepting comments on these rules until September 6, 2016. The final rules are expected…

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paradigm logo

Independent Clinical Study Published Demonstrating Clinical Utility of the Paradigm Cancer Diagnostic (PCDx) Test

An independent, peer-reviewed clinical study published today in Oncotarget entitled “Clinical Benefit of A Precision Medicine Based Approach For Guiding Treatment of Refractory Cancers” provides additional data supporting the clinical utility of the Paradigm PCDx test to significantly help improve outcomes for patients with cancer. This independent study was performed by the Indiana University Health…

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NCCN has published updates to the NCCN Guidelines and Chemo Order Templates

NCCN has published updates to the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) for Melanoma. These NCCN Guidelines® are currently available as Version 3.2016.  Imaging recommendations were clarified, including the following: Addition of footnote “i”, specifying modalities wherever imaging is mentioned: “Chest/abdominal/pelvic CT with contrast, brain MRI with contrast, and/or FDG PET/CT. Neck CT with…

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Insys Therapeutics Announces FDA Approval of Syndros™

Insys Therapeutics, Inc. (“Insys” or “the Company”) (INSY) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Insys’ dronabinol oral solution, SyndrosTM, an orally administered liquid formulation of the pharmaceutical cannabinoid dronabinol, a pharmaceutical version of tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”). Syndros is approved for use in treating anorexia associated with weight loss in patients…

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NCCN has published updates to the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) for Ovarian Cancer

NCCN has published updates to the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) for Ovarian Cancer. These NCCN Guidelines® are currently available as Version 1.2016.  ·         For patients with a suspicious palpable mass and/or symptoms, the following primary treatment option has been revised: “Patients with bulky stage III/IV who are poor surgical candidates due…

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RITUXAN MAINTENANCE THERAPY

NATIONAL COMPREHENSIVE CANCER NETWORK®(NCCN®) STATUS1 NCCN CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES IN ONCOLOGY (NCCN GUIDELINES®) CATEGORY DESIGNATION1 Rituximab (RITUXAN®) is included in the NCCN Guidelines® with a category 1 designation for first-line maintenance therapy (one 375 mg/m2 dose every 2 months for 2 years) in follicular lymphoma patients initially presenting with high tumor burden1 Note: Category 1 designation is given…

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tesaro

New Q code for VARUBI (rolapitant) effective 7/1/2016

As you likely know, CMS has a National Coverage Determination policy outlining when to bill under Medicare Part B vs Part D when using oral anti-emetic therapies.  Under these policies, providers should bill under Part B only when specific criteria are met, including that the oral anti-emetics are used “as full replacement for the anti-emetic…

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CMS Pushes Modifier -JW Requirement to 2017

CMS Pushes Modifier -JW Requirement to 2017 Source: Medicare Compliance Watch If CMS’ late April release of a change request requiring reporting of the previously optional modifier -JW (drug amount discarded/not administered to any patient) by July 1 seemed too sudden, the good news is many other providers—and the agency—agreed. Due to stakeholder concerns about…

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Available Clinical Trials at UF Health Cancer Center

UF Health Cancer Center has several clinical trials in process, below please find information about four trials that are currently accepting participants: ADU-CL-11 A Phase 1/2, Open-Label Safety and Efficacy Evaluation of CRS-207 in Combination With Epacadostat in Adults With Platinum-Resistant Ovarian, Fallopian, or Peritoneal Cancer. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02575807?term=adu-cl-11&rank=1  ARGO A Phase III Randomized Placebo-Controlled Study Evaluating…

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Despite stakeholder outcry, CMS launches home health prior-authorization demo

Source: Modern Healthcare By Virgil Dickson Despite outcry from industry stakeholders, advocates and beneficiaries, the CMS is moving forward with a three-year demonstration in which beneficiaries from five states would need to get prior approval before they get home health services. The demonstration will launch in Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan and Texas—states that are all tagged…

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New NCCN Imaging Appropriate Use Criteria Resources Help Assure Patients Receive Best Cancer Care Available

New NCCN Imaging Appropriate Use Criteria Compendium provides a single access point for all imaging recommendations within the NCCN Guidelines FORT WASHINGTON, PA — The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) has published the NCCN Imaging Appropriate Use Criteria (NCCN Imaging AUC™) to support clinical decision-making around the use of imaging in patients with cancer, helping…

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ASCO Value Framework Update

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) today published an updated framework for assessing the relative value of cancer therapies that have been compared in clinical trials. The framework, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, defines value as a combination of clinical benefit, side effects, and improvement in patient symptoms or quality of life in…

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Florida Hospital Clinical Trial GL-ONC1-015: Phase 1b Study with GL-ONC1 Oncolytic Immunotherapy in Patients with Platinum-resistant or Refractory Ovarian Cancer

New Clinical Trials Available at FHCI: Ovarian Cancer and peritoneal carcinomatosis: GL-ONC1-015: This is an open-label, non-randomized Phase 1b study evaluating the safety and immunotherapeutic effect of GL-ONC1, an oncolytic vaccinia virus, in women diagnosed with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer and peritoneal carcinomatosis. GL-ONC1 is administered via an intraperitoneal catheter. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02759588?term=GL-ONC1&rank=2   Clinical Trial Profile: Clinical…

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New Guidelines on Bladder Cancer Management: AUA/SUO

Source: Medscape New joint guidelines on the management of bladder cancer issued by the American Urological Association (AUA) and the Society of Urologic Oncology (SUO) validate many long-standing practices used in the management of superficial bladder cancer but also affirm the real benefits associated with newer technologies to better visualize bladder tumors. Most notabable among…

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ASCO Issues Clinical Guidelines On Adjuvant Chemotherapy For Early Breast Cancer.

Medscape reported that the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) “issued comprehensive clinical guidelines on adjuvant chemotherapy for early breast cancer and targeted adjuvant therapy for HER2-positive breast cancer.” The “guidelines are largely adapted from the 2015 Cancer Care Ontario (CCO) clinical practice guidelines, with some additional guidance from ASCO.” The recommendations were published online in…

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FDA Clarifies Compounding Rules

The Food and Drug Administration issued three draft guidance documents on Friday that answer providers’ and pharmacists’ burning questions about drug compounding standards. The proposed rules clarify the amount of drugs that providers can compound without a prescription, set requirements for health system compounding pharmacies and clarify how large-scale compounding sites known as “outsourcing facilities” may be…

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