Home infusion legislation introduced in Senate
By HME News Staff
Updated Thu August 3, 2017
WASHINGTON - A bill that would create a temporary payment for home infusion services dropped in the Senate this afternoon.
Introduced by Sens. Mark Warner, D-Va., and Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., the Medicare Home Infusion Therapy Access Act of 2017 (S. 1738) would address a payment gap created by a provision in the 21st Century Cures Act. That act requires Medicare to pay for services associated with providing Part B home infusion drugs, but not until 2021.
The Senate bill is a companion to H.R. 3171, introduced July 11 by Reps. Pat Tiberi, R-Ohio, and Bill Pascrell, D-N.J. That bill was passed July 25 as part of a bigger package of bipartisan legislation aimed at improving Medicare Part B.
Out of the gate, the Senate bill has 15 cosponsors: Sens. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., Michael Bennet, D-Colo., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Ben Cardin, D-Md., Thad Cochran, R-Miss., Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Angus King, I-Maine, Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., David Perdue, R-Ga., Rob Portman, R-Ohio, Pat Roberts, R-Kan., Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Roger Wicker, R-Miss.
“The National Home Infusion Association is encouraged by the progress and the bipartisan group of senators sponsoring this bill,” said NHIA President and CEO Tyler Wilson. “The association will continue to work with the Senate to move the bill quickly through the legislative process so that Medicare Part B beneficiaries will finally have access to vital therapies in the comfort of their home.”
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