AdvaMed Urges Medicare Commission To Emphasize Devices As Opioid Alternatives

In a statement to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, the medtech industry group bemoans the lack of consideration for medical device alternatives to opioids in treating pain management. The group says the commission should factor in such alternative treatments, per the SUPPORT Act, in their recommendations to Congress in March.

Opioid abuse epidemic concept
Medtech industry advocates are urging MedPAC to consider enhancing payment policies for devices as non-addictive alternatives to opioids. • Source: Shutterstock

The industry lobby group AdvaMed says the commission tasked with advising Congress on new payment policy to combat the opioid crisis has neglected consideration of medical devices as a solution. AdvaMed is asking the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission to recommend Congress mandate a revision and review of prices for non-opioid treatments such as medical devices in a report to lawmakers in March.

At a Jan. 18 meeting of the commission in Washington DC, DeChane Dorsey, VP for payment and health-care delivery...

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