GOVERNMENTNew drug-purchasing plan could cut hasslesPhysicians no longer would need to bill Medicare and patients for office-administered medications.By David Glendinning, amednews staff. March 21, 2005. Washington -- Doctors soon will be able to get their Medicare Part B drugs in a way that could prove less burdensome than the current system. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has released a proposed rule on the competitive acquisition program, a process that will allow physicians to obtain many cancer drugs and other office-administered medications from one of several vendors selected by the government. Under the voluntary program, set to begin next year, participating practices no longer will be required to pay for these drugs upfront and seek subsequent reimbursement from Medicare and patients. Instead, oncologists and other physicians would order all of their needed drugs within the eligible categories from one of five lowest bidders competing for Medicare's business in their region of the country. The drug vendors will be responsible for billing Medicare for the costs of the medications and the patients for any coinsurance or deductibles that apply. Oncologists, who will be particularly affected by the new program, are still reviewing the proposal to see if it provides a viable alternative, said Joseph Bailes, MD, a Houston oncologist and co-chair of the American Society of Clinical Oncology's government relations committee. Although ASCO is surveying members to see what changes regulators should make in the final rule, the program's voluntary nature means that individual practices will need to make their own assessments of whether to participate. [...]Full text of American Medical News content is available to AMA members and paid subscribers.
Copyright 2005 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
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The doctors are in the house
The AMA's House of Delegates is holding its Interim Meeting Nov. 7-10 in Houston, addressing issues such as health system reform and physician payment. Meeting coverage - Slideshow Feature articlesHealth reform review The Massachusetts experience Litigation stress Being sued is personal as well as professional Comprehensive coverage
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