Federal bill could ease Medicare Part D reimbursements
Reprints
A federal bill could help make it easier for workers compensation payers to determine how much they must pay to reimburse Medicare Part D prescription drug plans under Medicare Secondary Payer rules when they settle some comp claims.
H.R. 6120, known as the Secondary Payer Advancement, Rationalization, and Clarification Act — or SPARC Act — was introduced in September. The bill was sent for consideration last month to the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee, according to Congress.gov.
The legislation would provide "clarification and rationalization of Medicare prescription drug plan recovery rules for certain claims," according to bill text posted online.
The federal Medicare Secondary Payer Act requires insurers and self-insured employers to repay the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for a Medicare beneficiary's past and future medical treatment related to workers comp or liability cases.
The Washington-based Medicare Advocacy Recovery Coalition lauded the SPARC Act in a statement last week, saying the bill would "speed repayment of amounts owed from Medicare beneficiary claims directly to the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans," similar to the right that CMS has to collect reimbursements.
"The SPARC Act will create a clear and functional (Medicare Secondary Payer) system for Part D drugs, benefitting Medicare beneficiaries and Part D Drug Plans alike," said Greg McKenna, chairman of the MARC Coalition, in the statement.
"Today, Medicare beneficiaries and third parties are unable to settle claims, because they cannot find out how much money has to be repaid to Part D Plans,” added Mr. McKenna, who is also vice president and Chicago-based counsel for governmental affairs at Gallagher Bassett Services Inc.
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