April 25: Representative Ralph Hall Introduces Important Cancer Care Legislation

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April 25: Representative Ralph Hall Introduces Important Cancer Care Legislation

Today, Rep. Ralph Hall (R-TX-4th) introduced “Revision of Payment Methodology for Drugs and Biologicals” in the U.S. House of Representatives. This bill will provide a refinement to the Medicare drug reimbursement system, to ensure that critical chemotherapy drugs remain available to cancer patients. Most practices in America are having trouble purchasing some drugs that are necessary to treat their patients at the Medicare payment rate.

ASCO applauds Rep. Hall for his continuing commitment to quality cancer care and in particular, for his leadership on this legislation. ASCO also urges others in the cancer community who share his vision for forging practical, reasonable and sustainable long-term solutions to support this bill.

The legislation grants authority to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to increase payment amounts for oncology drugs when payment equal to 106% of the average sales price (ASP) does not cover the generally available price of the drugs.

The bill also will exclude prompt-pay discounts offered to wholesalers and distributors in the calculation of ASP, on which the payment rate is based.

Working with Rep. Hall and our other supporters on Capitol Hill and within the cancer community, ASCO will continue to support legislative strategy that creates realistic changes and delivers real results to oncology practices in the pursuit of quality cancer care.

“I am pleased to introduce legislation that will ensure that oncology practices are able to provide necessary life-saving treatments to their patients,” Rep. Hall said upon the bill’s introduction. “I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation as well, so Americans with cancer can continue to receive the high-quality care that they need.”

Rep. Hall has been a champion for the cancer care community. Last year, he introduced H.Res. 261, which commended CMS for creating the 2005 demonstration project and called upon Congress for its extension.

We will be updating you on the bill number and contacting your Member of Congress in the coming days. Please contact ASCO’s Cancer Policy & Clinical Affairs Department with any questions at 703-299-1050 or publicpolicy@asco.org.