Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement

Patient advocacy groups also want improved drug safety through FDA.

National patient-group leaders gathered on Capitol Hill on Sept. 26 to ask lawmakers for nearly $30 billion in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in fiscal year 2007.

The increased NIH funding--a 5-percent increase over funding for FY 2006--would help the NIH protect patients' access to drugs when new prescription drug safety measures come about, according to an announcement from the National Health Council (NHC).

"Investing in NIH innovation translates into extending and improving lives, saving money, spurring our nation's economic growth and keeping America competitive," said NHC board chairperson John W. Walsh said in a statement.

Walsh also released a report at the event called "Investing in Innovation." The report, which illustrates how increased NIH funding "yields tangible results," is available at www.nationalhealthcouncil.org/nih_report.pdf.

Patient-group leaders also voiced their drug-access concerns regarding Medicare Part D. They "urged Congress to guarantee access to medications under Medicare Part D by providing gap coverage that includes both branded and generic options, by offering lowest-tiering payments for drugs that do not have a generic equivalent and by eliminating co-payments for dual-eligibles," the NHC reports.

The patient groups pointed out other problems with Part D, such as lacking coverage for certain drugs for epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer's, depression, pain management and bipolar disorder.

At the Sept. 26 briefing, the NHC released the report "Access to Innovation"--what the NHC calls an "environmental scan to evaluate Medicare Part D implementation from the patient perspective." The report is available online at www.nationalhealthcouncil.org/part_d_report.pdf.

Patient groups also had concerns about the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) role in drug safety improvements, warning that the FDA would need to safeguard access and a patient's right to make an informed decision about a medication with his physician. "The patient groups also called for reauthorization of the Prescription Drug Fee User Act and adequate resources for a drug approval process that delivers safe, effective medicines as quickly as possible for people living with chronic conditions," the NHC says.

NHC's policy recommendations, in part, stemmed from the report "Benefits of Innovation," which gives the patient's perspective on access, safety, benefit and risk. To view this report, go to www.nationalhealthcouncil.org/fda_report.pdf.