Azar says new mandatory oncology pay model is coming

(Story updated at 3:57 p.m. ET)The CMS plans to unveil a mandatory Medicare payment model for cancer patients, and two new voluntary models for cardiac care in the coming weeks, said HHS Secretary Alex Azar. That means the Trump administration is reversing course from its prior stance that payment models, which put providers at risk of losing money if they don't lower costs of care, should be voluntary."Real experimentation with episodic bundles requires a willingness to try mandatory models," Azar said at the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative Conference on Thursday. "We need results, American patients need change, and when we need mandatory models to deliver it, mandatory models are going to see a comeback."The new mandatory model will focus on radiation oncology, Azar said...