House subcommittee to discuss proposed Part D changes
The health subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee is holding a hearing on Feb. 26 to discuss changes to Medicare Part D proposed by CMS in January. The proposed rule would eliminate two of the six protected classes for which plans must provide "substantially all" approved drugs and would limit the number of plans a given insurance company can offer in a single region. The proposed rule also would allow CMS to intervene in negotiations between payers and pharmacies. CMS's Jonathan Blum, principal deputy administrator, is slated to testify at the hearing. Comments on the agency's proposed rule are due March 7.
Last week, patient groups told BioCentury the proposed changes to protected drug classes would reduce access to necessary medications for transplant and mental illness. Healthcare policy specialists and consultants said they are worried the proposed changes would reduce competition and eliminate preferred pharmacy networks and the discounts they provide (see BioCentury, Feb. 17). ...