At One-Year Mark, Cancer Model Is Going Well, but Financial Concerns Remain

One year in, most of the initial active participants in CMS’s Enhancing Oncology Model (EOM), a value-based, patient-centered care model, are still involved in the program. Participants tell AIS Health, a division of MMIT, that overall, the experience is going well, but some concerns exist around issues including social determinants of health (SDOH) and whether the reimbursement is appropriate for what CMS is requiring.

The purpose of the EOM is “to drive transformation in oncology care by preserving or enhancing the quality of care furnished to beneficiaries undergoing treatment for cancer while reducing program spending under Medicare fee-for-service.” CMS says it “envision[s]” that the model not only will improve quality but also lower costs “because its payment methodology is aligned with care quality, and because EOM participants will have significant opportunities to redesign care and improve the quality of care furnished to beneficiaries receiving care for certain cancers.” The model makes physician practices accountable for total costs of care.