Update on Avastin vs. Lucentis: CMS Ups the Ante
October 8, 2009
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have decided to change the reimbursement rate for small Avastin doses, as used in the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration, reducing the reimbursement from about $25-30 per dose, to about $7.20, causing an increased cost to physicians that routinely use the compounded Avastin in ophthalmology.
On the other hand, the roughly $2000 cost per dose for Lucentis is fully reimbursed.
This change occurred this week and, as you can imagine, there has been much written and discussed about this change.
I have reproduced two articles, from the NY Times and the Wall Street Journal, as well as a report on discussions about this occurring at the Retina Congress 2009, on my online Journal.
For the complete story please check out my writeup.
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