Shorter surgeon wait times, fewer ED visits: 11 Biden Cancer Moonshot updates

The Biden Cancer Moonshot marked the one-year anniversary of CMS finalizing six navigation service billing codes by sharing reported outcomes from a variety of navigation programs. 

Tens of thousands of navigation claims have been processed since Jan. 1, for approximately 350 Medicare beneficiaries per month, according to a Nov. 26 news release from the White House. 

Here are 11 things to know about the latest navigation outcomes:

  1. After implementing navigation services, New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health Cancer Institute reported a more than 60% decrease in wait times for surgical oncologist appointments between January and September.

  2. Fort Myers, Fla.-based Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute reported a 40% reduction in emergency room visits for qualified, high-risk patients after implementing navigation services in February.

  3. West Orange, N.J.-based RWJBarnabas Health and New Brunswick, N.J.-based Rutgers Cancer Institute, partnered on a "one-stop shop" for patients to access oncology care and connection to supportive services, including a patient navigator.

  4. Meena Seshamani, MD, PhD, deputy administrator and director for the Center for Medicare, highlighted two important calls to action:

    • Navigation codes can be applied to high-risk conditions without a definitive diagnosis, meaning patients with a positive screening test can be referred to navigation services for diagnosis and follow-up care.

    • State-level programs can adopt coverage of navigation codes for Medicaid patients.

  5. The Indian Health Service partnered with the Tucson-based University of Arizona to provide specialized training for staff to deliver navigation services for the agency's CRC screening program.

  6. The Health Resources and Services Administration proposed new guidance for coverage of navigation services for breast and cervical cancer screening.

  7. The Department of Veterans Affairs developed navigation tools to be piloted through 2025 in 12 of the 18 Veterans Affairs regions. 

  8. The President's Cancer Panel, an independent group tasked with monitoring the National Cancer Plan, has released a report highlighting ways to utilize navigation tools and technology to achieve cancer care equity.

  9. The Patient Advocate Foundation established 2,850 grants of $300 each to cover out-of-pocket costs for navigation services.

  10. The National Minority Quality Forum will launch an early detection study in 2025 for 25,200 participants in  marginalized communities.

  11. The American Cancer Society and National Consortium of Breast Centers will expand educational offerings for navigators and oncology professionals.

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