Subject: Please Speak Up! Give feedback to CMS on Medicare reimbursement for Provenge before July 30!
Something important is happening
As many of you may know, at the end of April this year, after years of clinical trials, intense review of data and millions of dollars spent by Dendreon, the FDA announced approval for sipuleucel-T (Provenge). This new immunotherapy approach to cancer treatment offers a new alternative to thousands of American men fighting advanced prostate cancer that is hormone refractory. This story was featured in Us TOO’s June HotSheet
On Friday July 16, I sent an email to our contact lists giving people a heads up on the decision by the Federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to study whether it is “reasonable and necessary” to cover the costs of Provenge. This study could take a full year. This is further study of a new treatment that we saw the FDA finally approve after a long, rigorous and in-depth review. Local Regional Medicare intermediary organizations are making coverage decisions as CMS completes this study so there will be disparities as a result.
Fortunately, CMS has provided an opportunity for public comment.
Please make your voices heard. This opportunity is time limited, however, and you must take action before July 30.
