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Legislation aims to ensure Medicare covers six categories of medications

U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) introduced legislation this week that would require Medicare prescription drug plans to cover six categories of medications, according to a press release.

“We applaud this bipartisan legislation, which will ensure that Medicare patients will continue to have coverage for these needed medications,” Saul Levin, MD, MPA, American Psychiatric Association CEO and Medical Director, said in a press release. “We thank Senator Grassley and Senator Brown for their leadership on this important issue. The legislation would protect our nation’s most vulnerable citizens who depend on these life-saving treatments for depression, schizophrenia and other serious and chronic illnesses.”

The legislation would include all covered drugs in six categories and classes, including: anticonvulsants, antidepressants; antineoplastics, antipsychotics, antiretrovirals, and immunosuppressants for the treatment of transplant rejection.

“These classes of drugs are important to the health of Medicare beneficiaries,” Grassley said in a press release. “The process for considering covered medicines is important, too. A federal agency shouldn’t operate with a silo mentality in making coverage decisions that affect a large number of people. The decision-making should be transparent and logical between the agency and Congress.  Affected beneficiaries and their doctors should have a chance to weigh in, and congressional intent should matter.”

If passed, the bill would prevent CMS from raising regulatory restrictions against those classes of medications.

“For many years, Medicare has ensured that seniors enrolled in prescription drug plans can easily access critical drugs that treat sensitive diseases and health conditions,” Brown said in the release. “This bipartisan bill will ensure that seniors don’t have to jump through hoops like prior authorization to access the prescription drugs they need. We know access to the right drugs saves lives and costs, and any changes to Medicare’s prescription drug plan must not jeopardize patient choice and safety.”

References:

Grassley, Brown introduce bill to require Medicare Part D plans to carry medicines in six categories. Available at: Grassley.senate.gov. Accessed March 6, 2015.