The Remember Me feature is an automatic login process which creates a cookie on the hard drive of your computer containing a unique identifier which ASCO.org will utilize to remember you by, thereby avoiding the need to enter username and password upon subsequent visits to ASCO.org. DO NOT select this option if you share this computer with others since transactional, personal, or member only information will be accessible by other users.
To activate the Remember Me option, click the empty check box when signing in to the site. The Remember Me functionality is deactivated at the logout.
For additional information please review our Privacy Policy.
August 25: House Health Subcommittee Chairs Request Investigation of IVIG Pricing and Supply
Representative Nancy Johnson (R-CT), Chair of the House Ways & Means Subcommittee on Health and Representative Nathan Deal (R-GA), Chair of the House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Health have written a letter to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt requesting that supplies and pricing for intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) therapy be investigated by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). Congressional staff have been working on the Committees’ behalf to determine whether costs incurred by physician offices that provide the therapy are higher than the Medicare reimbursement rate, which could have an adverse effect on patient access to the drug. Reps. Johnson and Deal note that patients receiving IVIG are in many instances being referred to the hospital, where the drug is being paid as a percentage of AWP until 2006, when the ASP system will be implemented for hospital payments as well. The letter requests that the OIG examine supply of IVIG in response to reports of shortages (not connected to Medicare payment rates), though manufacturers have stated that a one-month supply is available.
ASCO will continue to monitor Medicare reimbursement for IVIG and other drugs for which members have reported that Medicare payments are below cost. You are encouraged to share information about inadequate drug reimbursement rates affecting your practice with ASCO by e-mailing publicpolicy@asco.org.
