April 28, 2009
Action Alert
New Legislation to Fix Access and Reimbursement for IVIG in the New 111th Congress
Contact Your Senators and Representative
Many members of the primary immunodeficiency community experience delays in and denial of treatment due to insufficient Medicare reimbursement. A report from the Office of the Inspector General showed Medicare reimbursement for IVIG is lower than the cost many providers pay for the product. As a result, a number of physicians and hospitals cannot afford to administer IVIG treatment to Medicare patients. This serious problem affects the entire community as an increasing number of private pay insurers are following Medicare's lead to determine reimbursement rates for IVIG.
To fix this problem, companion legislation was introduced into both the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Medicare Patient IVIG Access Act, S. 701 and H.R. 2002, offers a solution to the current IVIG access crisis by establishing appropriate reimbursement in all sites of care for our patients. It also changes current policy regarding Medicare coverage of home infusion to include the cost of items and services related to the administration of IVIG in the home for primary immunodeficient patients.
IDF is working in coalition with other patient organizations and physician organizations including the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) and the Clinical Immunology Society (CIS). With the strong leadership of the policymakers who have signed onto support this legislation, IDF hopes to improve access to treatment and the quality of life of the countless patients who struggle with negative health outcomes, increased intervals of care, change in site of infusion, difficulty finding providers, and denial of treatment.
What you can do to help
Please contact your Senators to ask them to sign on as cosponsor of S 701 and Representative to sign on as cosponsor of HR 2002 - The Medicare IVIG Patient Access Act. With your help, we can move forward to restore proper access to this life- saving treatment for patients with PIDD. Your legislators need to know why IVIG therapy is so important, so please add the story of how IVIG treatment impacts the lives of your patients, focusing on any access problems.
Be the voice of the PIDD patient community!
CLICK HERE TO TAKE ACTION!
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