Representatives Mike Pompeo and Don Beyer Introduce Medicare Patient Access to Treatment Act of 2015
Statement
Congressmen Mike Pompeo (KS-04) and Don Beyer (VA-08) today introduced the bipartisan Medicare Patient Access to Treatment Act of 2015, legislation to equalize Medicare payments between the hospital outpatient department (HOPD) and the physician office setting for cancer care services including chemotherapy administration.
The bipartisan legislation would help ensure patient access to quality cancer care in the community setting by:
Creating a level playing field in Medicare payments for outpatient cancer care services;
Maintaining patient access to high-quality, cost-effective care in the community cancer clinics; and
Stemming the tide of hospital acquisitions of community cancer care clinics.
"I am proud to introduce this pro-patient Medicare legislation to reverse an alarming trend in cancer care delivery that has resulted in limited patient choice and higher Medicare spending," stated Congressman Pompeo. "This legislation is an important first step in preserving access to community-based cancer care for our seniors."
Research shows that Medicare payments for chemotherapy administration services delivered in the HOPD setting have increased significantly, while payments for services delivered in community cancer clinics have decreased as the delivery of cancer care has migrated to the hospital setting over the last decade. This trend has resulted in a significant increase in Medicare spending as reimbursement levels for drug administration costs in the hospital outpatient setting are, on average, 189 percent higher than physician office reimbursement costs.
"At a time when cancer is rapidly becoming the most expensive disease for our health systems, we have an unequal system that forces seniors to pay more for the same service in different settings," said Rep. Beyer. "The Medicare Patient Access to Cancer Treatment will address this unequal treatment while saving our seniors and the taxpayer money."
Source