Patient & Provider Groups Oppose Legislation to Enable International Reference Pricing for Seniors’ Drugs
Coalition believes proposal by Sen. Sanders, Reps. Khanna and Cummings is likely to restrict access to lifesaving medicines and lead to adverse unintended consequences.
Washington, DC, January 11, 2019 --(PR.com)-- Today the Part B Access for Seniors and Physicians Coalition (ASP Coalition) expressed significant concern about the introduction of new drug pricing legislation because they believe the dramatic reform would threaten patients’ access to needed drugs and result in other unintended consequences for American seniors.
The bill introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Representative Elijah Cummings (D-MD) and Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA), is intended to allow the U.S. government to determine the cost of medicine in the United States based on drug prices in five other countries: Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Japan. ASP Coalition believes policies used in these countries are intended to heavily restrict patient access to medicines.
The ASP Coalition is especially concerned with this measure, which they believe is similar to the Administration’s proposed International Pricing Index (IPI) Model to set payment levels based on drug prices around the world.
In December, the ASP Coalition joined 339 patient, provider and caregiver groups, in submitting a letter to congressional leaders urging them to block the implementation of the IPI Model. The letter argues the following: IPI and related Part B reforms would introduce harmful barriers, burdens and inefficiencies into the American healthcare system; Moreover, price control schemes hinder the research and development of new breakthrough medicines, while depriving patients and healthcare professionals of the ability to make key decisions about their care.
“Use of foreign payment policies risks importing access delays to Medicare beneficiaries, limiting patient choice of provider, and potentially impeding development of more effective medicines for patients,” the groups warned.
About the Part B Access for Seniors and Physicians (ASP) Coalition
The Part B Access for Seniors and Physicians (ASP) Coalition is opposed to harmful changes to the program that would exacerbate health care consolidation, increase access restrictions, decrease choice of therapy, and stifle future innovation for physician-administered treatments. To learn more, visit partbaccess.org.
The bill introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Representative Elijah Cummings (D-MD) and Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA), is intended to allow the U.S. government to determine the cost of medicine in the United States based on drug prices in five other countries: Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Japan. ASP Coalition believes policies used in these countries are intended to heavily restrict patient access to medicines.
The ASP Coalition is especially concerned with this measure, which they believe is similar to the Administration’s proposed International Pricing Index (IPI) Model to set payment levels based on drug prices around the world.
In December, the ASP Coalition joined 339 patient, provider and caregiver groups, in submitting a letter to congressional leaders urging them to block the implementation of the IPI Model. The letter argues the following: IPI and related Part B reforms would introduce harmful barriers, burdens and inefficiencies into the American healthcare system; Moreover, price control schemes hinder the research and development of new breakthrough medicines, while depriving patients and healthcare professionals of the ability to make key decisions about their care.
“Use of foreign payment policies risks importing access delays to Medicare beneficiaries, limiting patient choice of provider, and potentially impeding development of more effective medicines for patients,” the groups warned.
About the Part B Access for Seniors and Physicians (ASP) Coalition
The Part B Access for Seniors and Physicians (ASP) Coalition is opposed to harmful changes to the program that would exacerbate health care consolidation, increase access restrictions, decrease choice of therapy, and stifle future innovation for physician-administered treatments. To learn more, visit partbaccess.org.
Contact
Part B Access for Seniors and Physicians Coalition
Ellen Almond
(703) 548-1163
http://www.partbaccess.org/
Ellen Almond
(703) 548-1163
http://www.partbaccess.org/
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