In 2023, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published a rule proposing changes to the Medicaid drug program that could harm infusion providers and their patients by limiting access to lifesaving, provider-administered treatments in the lowest-cost care settings.
The proposed rule, commonly known as "stacking," would force drug manufacturers to "stack" or aggregate drug discounts provided to separate stakeholders throughout the supply chain to establish the drug's lowest or "best price." The CMS proposal to "stack" discounts would create an artificial price that manufacturers will not be able to sustain. In fact, the stacking of drug discounts in Medicaid could disincentive drugmakers from offering discounts altogether, which could lead to infusion centers losing discounts for critical medications they provide to patients. The CMS proposal is unprecedented and would harm infusion providers and the patients they serve who rely on access to cutting-edge treatments.
Send a letter to your Member of Congress RIGHT NOW to urge them to tell CMS to withdraw the "stacking" rule before it harms infusion providers and the patients they serve.
Dear [Member of Congress],
As your constituent, I am deeply concerned about the potential harm that a proposed federal rule will have on patients in [STATE]. In 2023, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed changes to the Medicaid drug program that could harm patient access, health data privacy, and the stability of the Medicaid program.
The proposed rule, commonly known as "stacking," would force drug manufacturers to "stack" drug discounts provided to all stakeholders in the healthcare chain, like pharmacies and providers, to establish the drug's "best price." The CMS proposal to "stack" rebates would create an artificial price that is unsustainable. The proposal is unprecedented and dangerous.
The CMS proposal is a prime example of government overreach and has the potential to create negative downstream effects for providers and the patients they serve. The proposal could put infusion providers at risk and make it harder for the patients those providers serve to access new and life-saving treatments, as higher Medicaid rebates would stop companies from offering rebates to infusion centers and pharmacies. The rule demands drugmakers to combine discounts and rebates and could risk patient privacy. Lastly, it threatens the stability of Medicaid, a program that millions of vulnerable Americans rely on.
Given your role in overseeing the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, I urge you to call on CMS to withdraw the rule as soon as possible. Your voice is critical in ensuring CMS reconsiders the dangers of this policy before it harms providers and their patients. The well-being of infusion offices and their patients hangs in the balance.
Thank you for your leadership to protect patients in [STATE] and your attention to this urgent matter.
[Your comment here]
Sincerely,
[Signatory Name]
