Biotechnology Innovation Organization Issues Statement on Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Announcement

WASHINGTON, May 12 -- The Biotechnology Innovation Organization issued the following statement by Dan Durham, executive vice president for health policy:

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced that it is proposing to create a new Medicare-severity-diagnosis related group (MS-DRG) designed specifically for reimbursing providers administering CAR T-cell therapies to cancer patients. The new proposed regulation, which has been released as part of this year's inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) proposed rule, is expected to be finalized this summer.

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"The Trump administration has taken an important step forward for America's seniors. Transformative therapies not only save lives, but they also provide enormous benefits to society more broadly by lowering other costly health care spending.

"Ensuring patients have access to these medical breakthroughs without disruption or delay is paramount, and it begins with CMS' recognition of the value of innovation and CAR T-cell therapies.

"We look forward to working with the administration to achieve this goal."