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House Democratic leaders are demanding HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson provide to them by Feb. 17 all cost estimates associated with the new prescription drug benefit added to the Medicare program.
Medicare and its beneficiaries could save nearly $700 million a year if the program’s reimbursement rates for three drugs — Lupron, albuterol and ipratropium bromide — were more in line with what purchasers pay to obtain them, according to the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG).
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is considering denying coverage for unapproved uses of two cancer drugs, but an agency spokesman said Friday that the pending review is not part of a wider agenda to curtail Medicare coverage of widespread, but unapproved, drug treatments.
Drugmakers want to see changes to interim rules adopted last month for the transitional Medicare drug discount card that would ensure pricing information remains confidential, provide flexibility for off-label uses and allow appropriate coverage of first-in-class drugs, according to comments released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) last week.
FDA Commissioner Mark McClellan could be in the running to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) — a critical position in the Bush administration’s efforts to institute far-reaching changes in the Medicare program, which includes prescription drug benefits approved by Congress last year.
The Medicare prescription drug benefit enacted in December 2003 could increase government scrutiny of pharmaceutical sample distribution — especially if physicians start dispensing Rx drugs from their offices for home use and essentially act as pharmacies — according to an expert on healthcare fraud enforcement.
Drugmakers have identified several improvements they would like to see made to interim rules adopted last month for the transitional Medicare drug discount card.
Generic drugmakers may see reduced sales while brand manufacturers that are the sole provider of a drug sold to hospitals may see increased sales under new federal reimbursement rates established in the Medicare Rx drug law.
French drugmaker Aventis yesterday recommended that shareholders reject an unsolicited $60 billion acquisition bid from smaller French rival Sanofi-Synthelabo, arguing the offer undervalues the firm.
Having avoided the bullet of price controls in the new Medicare Rx drug law, pressure on drugmakers to lower the cost of their products may come from this year’s presidential election, with lower drug costs being second only to national security as a top concern among voters, experts say.