COA Responds to CMS Proposal to Ease Protections on 6 Drug Classes

Community Oncology Alliance (COA) responded to CMS' proposal to ease restrictions on how Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans dictate access to 6 protected drug classes, calling the decision a potential nightmare for vulnerable patients with cancer. According to COA, for the first time ever, Medicare patients with cancer and other serious diseases will no longer have guaranteed access to potentially life-saving drugs and instead will have to go through step therapy and formulary restrictions.

Noting their support of the administration's efforts to lower drug prices, COA argues that weakening or dismantling protected classes of drugs is too far. Read the full press release from Jeff Vacirca, MD, FACP, president of COA.