CLL Society submitted our first-ever official comment letter to the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) regarding decisions they are making right now pertaining to the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
In simple terms, CMS determines what and how much Medicare and Medicaid pays for medical services, including medications. Currently, CMS is working out details of the Drug Price Negotiation Program (DPNP) for which traditional Medicare Part D out-of-pocket costs will be capped starting in 2024. They requested organizations like ours provide them with feedback.
While the drug price negotiation program will have a marginal impact on costs for those with CLL / SLL who are not currently undergoing active treatment, it will likely have zero impact on reducing out-of-pocket costs for patients requiring active therapy. In our comment letter, we advocate for CMS to consider the implications that their decisions will have on innovation (i.e., the development of new therapeutics) and access to necessary medications for the rare disease community, which includes those with CLL / SLL.
