WashingtonWatch.com - H.R. 2002, The Medicare Patient IVIG Access Act of 2009

Comment by Rinaldo Hernandez (October 20, 2009, 01:00:00)

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

I get two treatments of IVIG every 30 days. I tried to reduce them once to just one treatment and started to regress. I am now back to the two and maintain a reasonable existence. My life would be spent in a wheel chair for not the IVIG. Please pass the S.701 and HR 2002....

Comment by XLA Wife (July 17, 2009, 01:00:00)

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

My husband was diagnosed with XLA in childhood and requires IVIG in order to survive. His brother has the same genetic disorder. They are good, hard-working men who suffer unnecessarily w/o this. Please help!...

Comment by David Leon Hines (May 19, 2009, 01:00:00)

Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 EDT

I was diagnosed with CIDP (peripheral neuropathy) in Oct of 2007. I've been on IVIg since Dec. of 2007. Currently my medical insurance through COBRA pays for my IVIg but next year (2010) I will be on medicare. Without my IVIg I would have no life at all. I will go into serious state of relapse without the IVIg. Please pass this legislation so others like me can have some form of quality of life. Thank you, David Hines. Hope-in-motion.blogspot.com...

Revision by webmaster (May 4, 2009, 01:00:00)

Mon, 04 May 2009 00:00:00 EDT

H.R. 2002 would amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve access of Medicare beneficiaries to intravenous immune globulins (IVIG).

Detailed Summary

Medicare Patient IVIG Access Act of 2009 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to collect data on the differences, if any, between: (1) payments to physicians for immune globulins using average sales price payment methodology; and (2) costs incurred by physicians for furnishing these products. Requires the Secretary also to review data on the access of eligible individuals to immune globulins.

Requires the Secretary, after completion of the review, to provide, if appropriate, an additional payment to such physicians for all items related to the furnishing of immune globulins as part of hospital outpatient services.

Provides for Medicare coverage of and payment for intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) administered in the home.

Directs the Secretary to contract for the collection of data on the practice of IVIG infusion if the Secretary determines that collection of additional data is necessary.

Directs the Secretary to review data collected under such a contract as well as data submitted by members of the medical community related to the current infusion payment codes under part B (SupplementaryMedical Insurance) of SSA title XVIII.

Requires the Secretary, upon completion of any data collection and review, to: (1) notify the appropriate Medicare administrative contractors regarding which existing infusion codes shall be used for purposes of part B IVIG reimbursement; or (2) report to Congress and the RBRVS Update Committee (RUC) on why an additional infusion payment code is necessary.

Extends the meaning of durable medical equipment to include a disposable pump prescribed, instead of a non-disposable external infusion pump, for administration of a drug used as part of a chemotherapy regimen for treatment of colorectal cancer, if a non-disposable external infusion pump would have been covered to administer the same drug for the same indication as of July 1, 2008. <br>

Status of the Legislation

Latest Major Action: 4/21/2009: Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Points in Favor

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Points Against

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Revision by webmaster (April 22, 2009, 01:00:00)

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:00:00 EDT

H.R. 2002 would amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve access of Medicare beneficiaries to intravenous immune globulins (IVIG).

Detailed Summary

(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to provide a detailed summary of the bill!)

Status of the Legislation

(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to update the status of the bill!)

Points in Favor

(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should pass!)

Points Against

(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should not pass!)

Revision by webmaster (April 22, 2009, 01:00:00)

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:00:00 EDT

H.R. 2002 would amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve access of Medicare beneficiaries to intravenous immune globulins (IVIG).

Detailed Summary

(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to provide a detailed summary of the bill!)

Status of the Legislation

Points in Favor

(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should pass!)

Points Against

(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should not pass!)

Status as of April 21, 2009

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 EDT

4/21/2009: Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.