United States 119th Congress Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 3 R · 2 D cosponsors

S 1031 — ROCR Value Based Program Act

Last action — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced March 13, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the Senate.

Prognosis

Advancing 40% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 5 sponsors

    1 primary, 4 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (3 R · 2 D) — cross-party backing.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

In plain language

The bill establishes a Medicare payment program for radiation oncology services.

This bill creates a specialized payment program under Medicare for radiation therapy providers and suppliers. Providers must comply unless they are part of specific innovation models or qualify for hardship exemptions.

What this means for you
  • Workers: This may impact radiation therapy workers as it establishes payment rates for their services.
  • Healthcare: Healthcare providers will need to adjust to new payment structures for radiation oncology services.

Summary

Radiation Oncology Case Rate Value Based Program Act of 2025 or the ROCR Value Based Program ActThis bill establishes a specialized payment program under Medicare for providers and suppliers of radiation oncology services. Specifically, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must establish a program under which radiation therapy providers (i.e., hospital outpatient departments) and suppliers (i.e., physician group practices and freestanding radiation therapy centers) receive payments for each episode of care provided to individuals with specified types of cancer. An episode of care means the period beginning on the day radiation therapy planning is furnished to the individual and ending (1) for individuals with bone or brain metastases, 30 days later; and (2) for individuals with other cancer types, 90 days later.Participation in the program is mandatory for providers and suppliers that participate in Medicare, unless the provider or supplier is part of a state-based Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation model or qualifies for a significant hardship exemption. The CMS must set payment rates for the program based on national payment rates with specified adjustments (e.g., geographic adjustments). Providers and suppliers who provide certain transportation services for individuals under their care may receive an additional payment. Providers and suppliers must be accredited in accordance with certain standards, subject to payment reductions.The Government Accountability Office must report on (1) implementation of the program, and (2) underserved areas that are in need of more or newer radiation therapy resources.

Bill Text

How this bill changes current law

4 changes Share ↗

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill introduces a new payment program for radiation oncology services under Medicare while ensuring that existing payment rates are maintained until the program is implemented.

  • 42 U.S.C. 1395

    SEC. 1899C. RADIATION ONCOLOGY CASE RATE VALUE BASED PAYMENT PROGRAM.

    This section creates a new program specifically for radiation oncology payments.

  • 42 U.S.C. 1395

    Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the ROCR Value Based Program Act, the Secretary shall promulgate regulations, using the procedures described in paragraph (5), establishing a Radiation Oncology Case Rate Value Based Payment Program.

    Establishes a timeline for the creation and implementation of the new payment program.

  • 42 U.S.C. 1395

    The Secretary shall not reduce the established payment rates for radiation therapy services under the physician fee schedule under section 1848 or the hospital outpatient prospective payment system under section 1833(t) during the time period beginning on the date of enactment of the ROCR Value Based Program Act and ending on the date that the regulations issued by the Secretary pursuant to paragraph (1) become effective.

    Ensures that existing payment rates are preserved until the new program is operational.

  • 5 U.S.C. § 553

    The Secretary shall promulgate the regulations described in paragraph (1) in accordance with section 553 of title 5, United States Code, and issue an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking and notice of proposed rulemaking with a comment period of not less than 60 days for each.

    Mandates a specified process for rulemaking related to the new payment program, including public comment periods.

Action History

  1. Introduced in Senate

  2. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 4 co-sponsors · 542 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (4)

Not signed on (542)

542 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 542 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

healthcare health-insurance
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does S 1031 do?
Radiation Oncology Case Rate Value Based Program Act of 2025 or the ROCR Value Based Program ActThis bill establishes a specialized payment program under Medicare for providers and suppliers of radiation oncology services. Specifically, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must establish a program under which radiation therapy providers (i.e., hospital outpatient departments) and suppliers (i.e., physician group practices and freestanding radiation therapy centers) receive payments for each episode of care provided to individuals with specified types of cancer. An episode of care means the period beginning on the day radiation therapy planning is furnished to the individual and ending (1) for individuals with bone or brain metastases, 30 days later; and (2) for individuals with other cancer types, 90 days later.Participation in the program is mandatory for providers and suppliers that participate in Medicare, unless the provider or supplier is part of a state-based Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation model or qualifies for a significant hardship exemption. The CMS must set payment rates for the program based on national payment rates with specified adjustments (e.g., geographic adjustments). Providers and suppliers who provide certain transportation services for individuals under their care may receive an additional payment. Providers and suppliers must be accredited in accordance with certain standards, subject to payment reductions.The Government Accountability Office must report on (1) implementation of the program, and (2) underserved areas that are in need of more or newer radiation therapy resources.
Who sponsors S 1031?
S 1031 is sponsored by Tillis, Thomas (Republican), Peters, Gary C. (Democratic), Marshall, Roger (Republican), Coons, Christopher A. (Democratic), and Sullivan, Dan (Republican).
What is the current status of S 1031?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced March 13, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track S 1031?
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