On Wednesday, July 14, Representatives Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15) and William Thornberry (TX-13) introduced legislation that would allow Medicare Part D carriers to cover off-label drugs prescribed to people living with chronic disease, including MS, when its use is supported by peer-reviewed medical literature. The National MS Society worked closely with Reps. Kilroy and Thornberry and noted clinicians and other health organizations to draft, name, and introduce the new bill--the Part D Off-label Prescription Parity Act (H.R. 5732).
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Part D regulations currently prohibit coverage for off-label indications of non-cancer drugs other than those uses listed in designated pharmaceutical compendia included in the statute. Doctors, based on existing medical literature and their professional judgment, however, routinely prescribe medications for off-label uses, meaning the drugs are used for purposes other than those originally approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). H.R. 5732 would work to correct this inequity and help people living with MS and other conditions access medically necessary and effective treatment that could vastly improve their quality of life.
To learn more about H.R. 5732, click here.
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