Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Ron Portman (R-OH) today welcomed the announcement from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that the agency would restore dramatic cuts to several personalized medicine diagnostics. Bennet and Portman led a group of senators earlier this month urging CMS to reconsider its proposed reimbursement cuts for these crucial tests.
“This decision has led to a beneficial decision for Colorado patients and jobs. It recognizes these innovative tests that can provide doctors with specific information for managing the care of patients with complex conditions, like cancer, heart transplants, cardiovascular disease and rheumatoid arthritis,” Bennet said. “Preventing these cuts will help Colorado’s bioscience sector move forward and our seniors have access to the care they need.”
“The decision to allow local Medicare contractors to price these tests is good for patients, good for physicians and, in the age of precision medicine, is good for the Medicare program,” said Portman. “We must ensure that there is continued investment in the research and development of these cutting edge precision medicine tests so that Ohioans and patients across the country have access to the most innovative and life-saving technologies.”
Earlier this month, Senators Bennet and Portman were joined by six of their Senate Finance Committee colleagues on a letter to Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt requesting the Agency reverse the proposed cuts for CY2016 which ranged from 30-90%. Many national patient advocacy groups like the Society for Women’s Health and the Bonnie Addario Lung Cancer Foundation also weighed in with the Agency along with the National Venture Capitalists Association, the American Medical Association, the Coalition for 21st Century Medicine and the American Clinical Laboratory Association.
Click here to read the letter Bennet and Portman sent to Administrator Slavitt.
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