Home infusion highlighted during hearing

WASHINGTON – Medicare needs to improve access to home infusion services, said lawmakers during a Sept. 19 House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing. 

During the hearing, “Examining Policies to Improve Seniors’ Access to Innovative Drugs, Medical Devices, and Technology,” home infusion was discussed at least three distinct times, according to the National Home Infusion Association. 

Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., brought up two bills—the Expanding Care in the Home Act and the Preserving Patient Access to Home Infusion Act—aimed at modernizing Medicare reimbursement and increasing access to home infusion services for Medicare beneficiaries. Dingell shared a personal story of a time she required several weeks of IV antibiotics through a PICC line and was able to self-administer but was shocked that this more cost-effective and sensible method was not covered by Medicare.  

Reps. Larry Bucshon, R-Ind., and Neal Dunn, R-Fla., later weighed in, as well, with Bucshon sharing his experience as a cardiovascular surgeon, where he could keep people in the hospital for 10 days and give them antibiotics but couldn’t get the IV therapy paid for if the patient went home. 

“The Expanding Care in the Home Act clearly outlines how to close the gaps in the current Medicare benefit for patients who prefer to access infusion services in their homes,” says Connie Sullivan, NHIA President and CEO. “NHIA appreciates and shares Rep. Dingell’s passion for common sense, cost-effective ways to modernize Medicare, such as adding coverage for home infusion.” 

While the Expanding Care in the Home Act illustrates a well-defined vision of what a workable home infusion benefit could and should look like, Congress can take immediate steps to permanently fix the existing Part B home infusion benefit by passing the Preserving Patient Access to Home Infusion Act. Re-introduced in the 118th Congress (H.R. 4014), the Preserving Patient Access to Home Infusion Act would require CMS to pay home infusion providers for professional services each day the drug is administered and remove the requirement that a skilled professional be present in the home for billing to occur.