Burr offers legislation to cover Medicare patients having cellular transplants

Bipartisan, bicameral legislation introduced this week by U.S. Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) would ensure Medicare beneficiaries receive bone marrow and cord blood transplants.

“Americans suffering from life-threatening blood diseases shouldn’t be deprived of treatment just because Medicare’s reimbursement process is complicated and bureaucratic,” Sen. Burr said on Wednesday.

Sen. Burr on May 1 cosponsored the Patient Access to Cellular Transplant (PACT) Act, S. 1268, with bill sponsor U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), which he said would better align payment policies for hospitals that treat senior citizens having various blood cancers, including leukemia, lymphoma and sickle cell disease.

U.S. Reps. Kenny Marchant (R-TX) and Ron Kind (D-WI) introduced the same-named legislation, H.R. 2498, in their chamber on Thursday.

Currently, Medicare doesn’t sufficiently reimburse hospitals or transplant centers around the country for the costs of providing bone marrow or cord blood transplants, the lawmaker’s office said, resulting in their loss of potential federal monies.

If enacted, S. 1268 would improve the reimbursement policies by establishing a system similar to the existing one for organ transplants, explained Sen. Burr’s statement, and would separately reimburse hospitals for the costs of finding donors and acquiring stem cells and bone marrow from the cost of completing the transplants.

“I am proud to work with my colleagues on this legislation that will remove unnecessary barriers and make sure folks on Medicare, including our seniors, have access to these life-saving innovations,” the senator said.

S. 1268 has been referred for consideration to the U.S. Senate Finance Committee.