The Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF) is pleased to announce that the enrollment for the Medicare IVIG Demonstration Project will begin on August 08, 2014. The enrollment period will end on September 12, 2014, so patients should act quickly to sign up. If approved, a beneficiary receiving an IVIG home infusion after October 01, 2014 will be covered. Medicare will inform all applicants by September 30th of their status.
Patients who are covered under Medicare Fee-For-Service and enrolled in Part B; have a diagnosis of primary immunodeficiency (PI); and are not currently covered under a home health episode of care, are eligible for enrollment. Interested participants should complete, sign and submit an enrollment application to be considered for the demonstration project, and they can do so at http://www.medicarenhic.com.
If enrolled in the IVIG demonstration, Medicare will pay a bundled payment for supplies and related nursing services to administer patients IVIG medication in the home. Participation in the demonstration will not affect any other Medicare benefits, participation is voluntary – and participants can withdraw at any time.
In January 2013, the Medicare IVIG Access Act (HR 1845) was signed into law by President Barack Obama, creating a three-year demonstration project allowing for the payment of home infusion services for Medicare patients with PI.
“IDF strived for years to have the legislation passed that would help cover the costs of home infusion in the Medicare law, and we are thrilled that the demonstration project is beginning,” said Marcia Boyle, IDF President & Founder. “Patients with primary immunodeficiency diseases should have the right to access to all sites of care including the right to be infused in the home setting if that is medically appropriate.”
The demonstration project should prove the cost effectiveness of allowing Medicare patients with PI access to home infusions of IVIG, thus paving the way for a permanent fix to this issue.
