Medicare Gives Reasonable Dispensing Fee for Inhalation Drugs

November 4, 2004
Medicare has heeded AARC and other organizations' comments on fees for inhalation drugs by issuing a final rule that includes what the home care industry says is a reasonable dispensing fee for Part B inhalation drugs (such as albuterol). The 2005 dispensing fee for inhalation therapies is $57 for a 30 supply and $80 for a 90-supply.

The issue of concern goes to the new Medicare regulations that required a 89% reduction in the previous payment for inhalation drugs. Home care companies and pharmacies that supplied these drugs stated that with such drastic cuts they would no longer be able to stay in the business of supplying inhalation drugs.

The AARC submitted comments to Medicare on this issue warning Medicare that unless some additional payments to these provider companies were included, patient access to these important drugs would be jeopardized. A report was also issued by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) also weighing in that Medicare should make sure companies received an acceptable dispensing fee.

The bottom line, Medicare heard and did indeed put in place a reasonable dispensing fee for Part B inhalation drugs. You can read the full set of regulations at the CMS website.

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