CMS altering some reporting requirements

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently informed Part D plans they are suspending the current collection of long-term care rebate reports for 2008 and 2009, in lieu of a new reporting requirement that will be changed in 2010.

Additionally, the agency plans to test the proposed reporting requirements with a small number of Part D sponsors prior to 2010. The goal of this reporting section was to ensure that Part D sponsors get the information needed to monitor long-term care rebates and to ensure there are no associated inappropriate impacts on formulary drug utilization, an agency memo said.

“Because we do not believe the data currently collected via the 2008 Part D reporting requirements are the most effective tools for assisting sponsors in accomplishing this goal, we are suspending the collection of these data for 2008 and 2009,” the memo said.

Instead, CMS said it believes it can more effectively achieve its goal of focusing plan attention on network LTC pharmacy compliance and appropriate drug utilization management by requiring sponsors to calculate and submit different data.

Through the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)’s approval process of 2010 Part D reporting requirements, CMS is expecting to propose the data reflected in Attachment A to be collected on an annual basis.

CMS also intends to test the proposed reporting requirements with a small number of Part D sponsors prior to 2010, when the new reporting requirements will become effective. “This testing will allow us to fine-tune our data collection strategy and to ensure that the new data elements more effectively meet our goals with regard to sponsors’ formulary management than the current data reporting requirements,” the memo said. “We will be in contact with selected sponsors for participation in the pilot.”

Information will be available through the Federal Register regarding the process for submitting comments. All data collected via the Part D reporting requirements are subject to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget approval.