MAPRx Expresses Support for Cost-Smoothing Legislation
Earlier today, the Medicare Access for Patients Rx (MAPRx) Coalition submitted a letter, signed by 33 member organizations, to Senators Bill Cassidy and Bob Menendez in support of their legislation to address out-of-pocket (OOP) costs for Medicare Part D beneficiaries. S. 2911, the Seniors Prescription Drug Relief Act of 2019, includes a much-needed smoothing mechanism that would allow Medicare beneficiaries to spread payment for their high-priced medications across the calendar year, rather than requiring immediate payment as under current law.
The MAPRx Coalition strongly believes in a smoothing mechanism as a way to make OOP costs more manageable for beneficiaries with high costs. Additionally, the Coalition is supportive of a true cap for OOP costs and is hopeful that Congress will continue to consider pairing an OOP cap with a smoothing mechanism to provide relief for the more than 44 million Part D beneficiaries.