Bach to chair MEDCAC

CMS has named Peter Bach, an advocate for new pricing mechanisms to combat high drug costs, as chair of its Medicare Evidence Development & Coverage Advisory Committee. MEDCAC meets four to six times per year to review and evaluate the strength of evidence for medical technologies as it relates to the Medicare population, and makes coverage recommendations to CMS.

Ahead of each meeting, the MEDCAC chair reviews and can suggest changes to the questions developed by CMS, which form the basis of the committee's deliberations. The chair does not vote at the meeting, but ensures "balanced discussion of the issues," according to published CMS guidance about the factors the agency considers in referring topics to the MEDCAC...