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News & Advocacy

OAR Signs on to CMS Comments on IPI

posted: February 27, 2019

The OAR prepared a letter early this year for membership to use offering comments on the proposed International Pricing Index Model (IPI) for Part B drugs. The OAR letter urged the administration not to move forward with the IPI Rule as currently proposed. OAR holds that the IPI model for Part B drugs would likely have a significant negative impact on both rheumatology patients’ access to life changing treatments and on rheumatology practices.

The model introduces third-party vendors as middlemen into an untested distribution model while placing more financial and administrative burdens on physicians. As a result, it is likely that practices will no longer be able to offer a cost effective infusion option. This means that patients will be forced to go to hospital infusion centers, which are inherently more costly and less convenient.

OAR opposes any large scale, mandatory demonstration project that has not been adequately tested. Additionally, any such project should be voluntary and on a much smaller scale in order to avoid unforeseen consequences. OAR realizes practices are already experiencing significantly decreased reimbursements even though overhead continues to rise and will continue to monitor the Rule and provide membership with additional updates.

The OAR also signed onto a coalition letter with CSRO to submit comments to HHS.

Read the Full Letter