• Center on Health Equity & Access
  • Clinical
  • Health Care Cost
  • Health Care Delivery
  • Insurance
  • Policy
  • Technology
  • Value-Based Care

COA Responds to CMS Proposal to Ease Protections on 6 Drug Classes

Article

Community Oncology Alliance (COA) responded to CMS' proposal to ease restrictions on how Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans dictate access to 6 protected drug classes, calling the decision a potential nightmare for vulnerable patients with cancer.

Community Oncology Alliance (COA) responded to CMS' proposal to ease restrictions on how Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans dictate access to 6 protected drug classes, calling the decision a potential nightmare for vulnerable patients with cancer. According to COA, for the first time ever, Medicare patients with cancer and other serious diseases will no longer have guaranteed access to potentially life-saving drugs and instead will have to go through step therapy and formulary restrictions.

Noting their support of the administration's efforts to lower drug prices, COA argues that weakening or dismantling protected classes of drugs is too far. Read the full press release from Jeff Vacirca, MD, FACP, president of COA.

Related Videos
Danielle Roman, PharmD, BCOP, Allegheny Health Network
UPMC Title Slide Open | Image Credit: © Notebook and Maggie Shaw
UPMC Title Slide Open | Image Credit: © Notebook and Maggie Shaw
UPMC Title Slide Open | Image Credit: © Notebook and Maggie Shaw
 Rakendu Rajendran, MBBS, Virtua Health
Dr Brian Mulherin
Dr Brian Mulherin
UPMC Title Slide Open | Image Credit: © Notebook and Maggie Shaw
Related Content
© 2025 MJH Life Sciences
AJMC®
All rights reserved.