Infusion stakeholders continue push  

WASHINGTON – A diverse group of 30 patient and stakeholder groups are calling on Congress to address Medicare beneficiary access to home infusion services.  

In an Oct. 31 letter, the groups urge congressional leaders to advance the Preserving Patient Access to Home Infusion Act (S. 2652/H.R. 5067) to increase access to home infusion therapy for Medicare beneficiaries.  

“Home infusion therapy services have been a lifeline for millions of Americans by delivering lifesaving treatments to patients while reducing costs, infection risks and unnecessary facility visits,” the groups write. “Unfortunately, despite Congress’s efforts to establish a dedicated Medicare home infusion therapy benefit, CMS has implemented it in such a restrictive manner that is it failing to promote patient access.” 

A similar letter representing more than 600 hospitals and 5,000 sites of care was sent in August. 

The new letter goes on to cite a report released by CMS in January 2022 confirming that utilization of the benefit has been low, with less than 1,300 Medicare beneficiaries accessing the benefit each calendar quarter between Q1 2019 and Q1 2021, compared to the estimated 3.2 million patients served annually by home infusion providers. 

“Home-based health care services stand out as high-value resources that can improve patient quality of life and add capacity to the health care system, while keeping vulnerable patients away from the threat of infectious disease,” said Connie Sullivan, BSPharm, president & CEO of the National Home Infusion Association. “Passage of the Preserving Patient Access to Home Infusion Act is critical to ensuring the Medicare program maintains access to home infusion, allowing beneficiaries to safely receive treatment in the setting they overwhelmingly prefer: their homes.”  

Introduced in 2021, the legislation has 20 House co-sponsors and three Senate co-sponsors.