ACCC 41st Annual Meeting to Focus on Policy, Value & Quality

What: Association of Community Cancer Centers 41st Annual Meeting, CANCERSCAPE
When: Tuesday, March 17—Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Where: Hyatt Regency Crystal City, Arlington, Virginia
Anticipated Attendance: 400 cancer care providers and industry representatives

Leaders from hospital-based cancer programs and oncology practices nationwide will gather in Arlington, Virginia, March 17–18, 2015, to discuss the complexity of healthcare reform, and how to demonstrate value and quality in cancer care delivery.

As the nation’s leading advocacy and education organization for the multidisciplinary cancer care team, ACCC’s Annual Meeting, CANCERSCAPE, provides insight on recent legislative and policy trends impacting the delivery of cancer care nationwide. Hundreds of cancer program professionals will gather for two days of sessions, which focus on key themes of policy, value, and quality.

Meeting highlights include:

Keynote Address
The Current Political and Legislative Environment
Charlie Cook, Political Analyst & Publisher of the Cook Political Report
Tuesday, March 17, 8:15—9:15 am

Charlie Cook, one of the nation's leading authorities on U.S. elections and Washington politics, will utilize poll numbers, economic indicators, and historical data to discuss today’s political and legislative environment. This session will provide balanced, non-partisan insight on the policy direction of the current Administration and the Congressional agenda, as well as the ongoing impact of the 2014 midterm elections on current legislation, the ACA, and the national healthcare landscape.

Special Town Hall Meeting
ACCC President’s Theme: Communicating Quality to Patients
Supported by Amgen
Tuesday, March 17, 1:15—2:15 pm

Introduction: Becky L. DeKay, MBA, President, Association of Community Cancer Centers
Moderator: Christian Downs, JD, MHA, Executive Director, Association of Community Cancer Centers
Panelists: Gwen Darien, Executive Vice President of Programs and Services, Cancer Support Community; Daniel B. Wolfson, MHSA, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, ABIM Foundation; Thomas A. Gallo, Executive Director, Virginia Cancer Institute

Defining quality in cancer care is challenging for practitioners, payers, and patients alike. As the number of quality standards and reporting requirements grow, there is increasing demand for consensus around what it means to deliver quality care. Panelists explore patient–centered care, and how cancer programs define quality and integrate individual preferences, needs, and values into the care they provide.

Featured Session
New Payment and Delivery Models in Medicare
Ron Kline, MD, Medical Officer, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation
Kavita Patel, MD, MS, Managing Director for Clinical Transformation and Delivery, Brookings Institution
Tuesday, March 17, 10:30 am—11:45 am

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center has launched the new Oncology Care Model (OCM), a multi–payer, oncology practitioner-focused initiative that is the latest indication that the shift from volume–based reimbursement to payment for value and quality is gaining momentum. Hear about the transformation from volume—to value–based reimbursement directly from Ron Kline, MD, Medical Officer with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, at CANCERSCAPE. An author of the Oncology Care Model, Dr. Kline will share an insider’s perspective and answer your questions about what this new model means for the future of cancer care. Kavita Patel, MD, MS, will speak to the strategy side of the OCM—what our members need to be thinking about when they’re deciding whether the OCM is the right program for them. What are the financial implications of OCM and what are the ramifications of not signing up now for OCM?

Additional Sessions
The meeting agenda includes discussions on the following topics:

• ACA: The Patient and Provider Experience
• 340B Drug Program: What Lies Ahead?
• Understanding Pharmaceutical Pricing: What the Future Holds
• Financial Toxicity: How Can We Help Our Patients?
• Big Data’s Role in the Delivery of Quality Cancer Care
• Putting Quality Initiatives to Work for Your Program and Your Patients
• Oncology Economics and Impact of Cost to Patients
• Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Value-Based Care