Advocacy Groups Warn Congress Not to Cut Medicare Part D Discounts

A coalition of healthcare and patient advocacy groups urged congressional leaders not to reduce the manufacturer discount for Medicare Part D drugs.

Lawmakers included provisions in a budget deal — reached in February — designed to make drugs more affordable by closing the “donut hole” — the gap between Medicare Part D coverage limits and patients’ total out-of-pocket costs — and requiring  manufacturers to give deeper discounts to enrollees for branded drugs during the coverage-gap period.

Brand-name drug makers are lobbying Congress to lower the manufacturer discount from 70 percent to 63 percent during the lame duck session, according to the letter from 14 organizations including Patients for Affordable Drugs and the Campaign for Sustainable Rx Pricing.