Specialized Information for:

Long-Term Care ConsumersFamily MembersAdvocates

News Article

Back to News Listing

Consumer Voice Provides Feedback on Proposed Rule that would Implement Significant Changes to Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage

March 26, 2014

On Friday, March 7th, Consumer Voice submitted comments on a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that put forward a series of policy and technical changes to the Medicare Part D prescription drug program. While we supported a number of the proposed changes because they would aid in strengthening the program and improving services and safeguards for consumers, we strongly opposed a proposed change in the rule that would result in the removal of immunosuppresants, antipsychotics, and antidepressants from the six protected drug classes in Medicare Part D. Currently, Part D plans are required to provide coverage for all medications in the immunosuppresant, antipsychotic and antidepressant categories, but this proposed change would rescind this requirement in 2015 for immunosuppresants and antidepressants and in 2016 for antipsychotics. Consumer Voice expressed concern that the removal of these drugs from protected class status at this time would negatively impact the health and well-being of consumers reliant upon these medications. We commended CMS for its acknowledgement of the ongoing misuse of antipsychotic drugs among long-term care residents with dementia, but stressed that there were other ways in which this issue could be addressed.  Our comments discussed several recommendations on how to combat this problem without endangering access to these medications for beneficiaries with serious mental illness. You can read Consumer Voice’s full comments on the proposed rule here.

Back to News Listing