The American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology submitted testimony to the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Health for the July 18 hearing regarding the use of imaging services and providing appropriate care for Medicare beneficiaries.

Cancer is the leading cause of death in the United States and a primary health concern for many aging Americans. In recent years, Congress has recognized this and has expanded Medicare coverage for a number of cancer screening services. ASTRO is concerned that if the Deficit Reduction Act caps are applied to radiation therapy, access to critical tools used in cancer treatment will be reduced, resulting in increased wait times for services and a negative impact on cancer survival. Patient safety and quality of care would be severely compromised without the use of imaging technology in the delivery of radiation therapy.
To ensure excellence in patient treatment and improved outcomes, it is imperative to invest in the latest technologies available. Radiation therapy is less invasive, less expensive and has a higher cure rate than most other cancer treatment options. The use of imaging in radiation oncology benefits millions of cancer patients and not only improves precision and tumor control, but it saves money by reducing or eliminating nonessential or inappropriate treatment. It is vital that limitations to these important imaging services are not applied to the planning and treatment of cancer with radiation therapy.


ASTRO is a member of the Access to Medical Imaging Coalition, a broad coalition comprised of physicians and manufacturers advocating for a two-year delay of the DRA imaging cuts. ASTRO supports the Access to Medical Imaging Act of 2006 that was introduced with broad bipartisan support.
For the complete text of ASTRO's testimony, visit ASTRO's Web site at
http://www.astro.org/pdf/GR/CapHill/DRATestimony.pdf.
For more information on radiation therapy, visit www.rtanswers.org.

ASTRO is the largest radiation oncology society in the world, with more than 8,500 members who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. As the leading organization in radiation oncology, biology and physics, the Society is dedicated to the advancement of the practice of radiation oncology by promoting excellence in patient care, providing opportunities for educational and professional development, promoting research and disseminating research results and representing radiation oncology in a rapidly evolving healthcare environment.

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