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CHA Submits Comment Letter on Proposed Part B Prescription Drug Demonstration

Comments due May 9

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CHA has submitted the attached  comment letter on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposed rule that would test new mandatory Medicare payment models for covered Part B prescription drugs provided in physician offices, hospital outpatient departments and certain drugs furnished through durable medical equipment (DME). While CHA appreciates that CMS is paying attention to the growing national crisis of rising drug prices, we believe the proposed demonstration will have unintended consequences — namely, incentivizing inappropriate shifts in care settings for beneficiaries and overpaying for low-cost drugs. CHA urges CMS to exclude hospital outpatient departments from the demonstration, scale back the size and scope of phase one of the demonstration, and propose phase two of the demonstration through a formal regulatory process with notice and comment. CHA urges members to use the comment letter to inform and submit their own comments. Comments are due May 9 by 2 p.m. (PT) and can be submitted at www.regulations.gov.