Washington, D.C.—Late last week the administration rescinded a proposed rule that would have tied the price of select Medicare Part B drugs to that of foreign countries. Of the 50 drugs selected for participation under the Most Favored Nation rule, 35 would have been cancer drugs. A statement from Lisa Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) follows:
“We’re pleased that the Biden administration has rescinded this rule. While the rule’s stated intent was to reduce the price of drugs, the outcome likely would have resulted in more Medicare patients being unable to access necessary prescriptions, as the Department of Health and Human Services’ own analysis concluded.
“While we strongly support efforts to reduce patients’ prescription drug costs, it is important that any dramatic changes to Medicare’s drug coverage be undertaken only with careful consideration as to how such changes may affect patient access to treatments, especially for those with a history of cancer.
“We look forward to working with the administration and Congress to find effective ways to preserve access to the best available treatments while ensuring those treatments are widely more affordable for patients.”