Nashville, Tennessee – October 3, 2022 – OneOncology, the national platform for independent oncology practices, announced today that all 14 of its partner practices have applied to participate in Medicare’s Enhancing Oncology Model (EOM), the agency’s value-based care model for oncology.

“With large and diverse patient populations combined with OneOncology’s analytics and value-based care expertise, our practice partners will have the data and insights to help them successfully participate in the EOM,” said Davey Daniel, MD, CMO, OneOncology. “We’re proud that all OneOncology practices have applied to participate, and we look forward to working with them to them to drive high-quality, patient-centered outcomes in Medicare’s value-based oncology model.”

One of the key components of EOM is its emphasis on promoting health equity in cancer care. Dr. Daniel said: “Having 14 of 14 OneOncology practices apply for EOM is an important indication of our practice partners’ commitment to promote health equity. It also underscores the important contribution of the oncology community to improve access to high-quality cancer care for underserved populations.”

OneOncology has made significant investments in infrastructure and analytics to support practice partners in preparation for EOM participation. Additionally, clinical support via Disease Groups, Pathways, and Clinical Research will unlock differentiated solutions that will improve the quality of care for patients, improve the patient experience, and bolster OneOncology practices’ success in EOM. EOM participation will set a common foundation that aligns with OneOncology’s desired expansion of value-based care, and we look forward to helping our practices excel in this transition.

Still, the EOM poses certain challenges for groups relative to Medicare’s prior value-based oncology model, OCM, such as increased investments needed to support additional reporting requirements, lower payments for enhanced oncology services, and mandatory downside risk.

“Throughout OCM, CMMI demonstrated its willingness to improve its payment models over time,” said Dr. Daniel.  “For example, CMMI made important updates to OCM risk adjustment methodology and modification of risk arrangements in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. So, we remain optimistic about opportunities to engage CMMI to promote improvements to EOM that will make the program more conducive to community oncology practices’ participation.” Practices who have yet to apply now have until October 10 to submit their application to CMMI. Submitting an application does not bind an applicant to participate in EOM, but it will allow oncology practices that apply to uncover further details regarding the EOM and how they might eventually perform in the model.