Infusion providers brace for Medicare Part D benefit

The National Home Infusion Association (NHIA) held an audio conference recently to alert home infusion providers to the challenges they may face when the new Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit is implemented on Jan. 1, 2006.

Emphasizing that NHIA has been communicating with policy makers to help them understand that home infusion is a comprehensive clinical service distinct from retail drug dispensing, NHIA executive director Lorrie Kline Kaplan said the new benefit presents some serious obstacles for providers.

"It is a benefit that is focused mostly toward traditional retail therapies. It was not designed as a home infusion benefit. Over the years we have really focused on trying to build a coverage model for Medicare that is very similar to what is working in the private sector. We'd like to see all the components of care covered appropriately, not just a drug."

Kaplan also applauded CMS for acknowledging that home infusion is used to reduce overall healthcare costs. However, she added, "we obviously have a lot of challenges within this benefit as it is currently written."

NHIA outlined the following challenges that home infusion providers would face:

Questions on Part D may be sent to info@nhianet.org
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