CMS to reverse Avastin coding rule

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services plans to reverse its September decision to slash reimbursement for ocular uses of Genentech Inc.'s Avastin bevacizumab, Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), said on Wednesday. CMS had reduced reimbursement to ophthalmologists for low doses of the cancer drug for use off-label to treat age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and other conditions to about $7, based on the unit cost of the drug. The reimbursement did not take into consideration fees charged by compounding pharmacies that bring the acquisition cost to about $30. The change, which will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2010, will result in a reimbursement of $40-$50, so physicians will not lose money every time they inject Avastin into a patient's eye, Kohl spokesperson Ashley Glacel told BioCentury. ...