Kidney Cancer Association Supports Drug Access for Medicare Beneficiaries
Letter to Administrator McClellan urges support of guidance issued by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services which mandates patient access to drugs.
(PRWEB) August 20, 2005 -- In an August 17th letter to CMS Administrator Mark McClellan, the Kidney Cancer Association (KCA) expresses its support of the recent guidance issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) which mandates that Medicare beneficiaries must have access to all or substantially all of the drugs in six important drug categories under the Medicare Part D program. The KCA's vice president for public affairs, Celeste Kelley insists this guidance should be implemented as it was written.
In the United States, approximately 35,000 patients are diagnosed with kidney cancer each year; and each year, about 13,000 people die from the disease. The Kidney Cancer Association is a global organization serving patients, families and physicians in the US and 102 countries. Its mission is A world Without Kidney Cancer. KCA educates patients and physicians about kidney cancer, current research, clinical trials and available treatments; and collaborates with the NCI and the private sector on research projects. In addition, the organization has a long history of advocacy at the Federal and state levels. KCA's grassroots advocacy program teaches patients to become advocates on issues like the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA), access to care and effective treatments, importation and other issues that directly and significantly impact the care and treatment of this and all cancers. Each year, KCA brings about 50 patients to Washington DC to meet with their legislators on issues important to all cancer patients. It was through the efforts of KCA's founder, Dr. Eugene P. Schonfeld, that IL-2 (the only approved agent for the treatment of kidney cancer) was approved.
According to Kelley, the June 10, 2005 CMS guidance clearly indicates that Part D prescription drug plans must provide access to "all or substantially all" of the drugs in the following six categories: anticancer agents, antidepressants, antipsychotics, anticonvulsants, immunosuppressants, and HIV/AIDS drugs.
Kelley says, "Because of its protection of anticancer agents, this guidance is extremely important to our organization and its members. Significantly, the guidance makes clear that it applies to all drugs available on January 1, 2006. Under the guidance, therefore, all or substantially all anticancer drugs approved by FDA by the end of 2005 must be included on Part D plan formularies. Cancer patients must have access to the proper treatments for their disease (and treatments for conditions that occur as a result of their disease). Proper and effective treatments determined by each patient's physician and based on their individual cases. Without proper and effective treatments, many will die.
"We are disturbed to learn that CMS may be rethinking the unambiguous statement it made in support of the inclusion of anticancer agents in the guidance. CMS should not reconsider or retreat from its decision to require formularies to include "all or substantially all" drugs in the anticancer class. CMS should not allow Part D plans to deny formulary placement to anticancer that are approved at any time through January 1, 2006."
Kelley further urges that CMS implement the June 10th guidance as originally issued, saying, "Anticancer drugs are vital to the very lives of the beneficiaries who rely upon them. Patients receiving these drugs are delicately maintained on precisely titrated drug regimens. It is neither safe nor cost-effective for these vulnerable beneficiaries to switch to other similar medications found in a class or category of drugs.
She adds, "The unacceptable alternative to the CMS June 10th guidance is to force beneficiaries who are denied coverage to seek an exception or to appeal the denial of coverage. Cancer does not wait for patients who rely on these medications to pursue an exceptions process or appeal coverage denials. Any suggestion to the contrary indicates a lack of compassion and an inadequate understanding of how cancer works. No patient in this great country should be forced to do without treatment or to engage in battle in order to have access to adequate and proper medication -- especially during the time they are fighting to stay alive. Patients absolutely must have access to life saving treatments and therapies."
Kelley seeks assurance that CMS will abide by its June 10, 2005 guidance and ensure that all products approved prior to January 1, 2006, within these six critical categories, will be included on all Part D plan formularies.
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