Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement, and Modernization

Some practices utilized by brand firms to delay generic competition have been the target of recent FTC and legislative actions. One concern was the practice of listing several new patents late in the product life cycle in an apparent effort to trigger successive 30-month stays to delay generic competition. To prevent this practice, the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 limited each branded product to one 30-month stay (Padden and lenkins 2004). 

Kaiser Family Foundation. 2005. Prescription Drug Coverage for Medicare Beneficiaries A Summary of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003. AvaUahle at www.klf.org/medicare/6112.cfm. Last accessed November 5,2005. 

Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of2003... 

Under the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act 2003 (use 2003), however, the U.S. government was specifically prohibited from using its bulk buying power for Medicare beneficiaries to negotiate medicines prices on cost-effectiveness grounds. Section 1123 of the legislation also commissioned a study by the USDoC. 

MTM movement has been especially strengthened by language in the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003 (Public Law Number 108-173), which mandates payment for MTM services and proffers pharmacists as viable health professionals who may offer such services. As such, MTM is now considered a key component in the provision of pharmacy care services. 

The Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003 produced the largest overhaul of the Medicare program in 38 years. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are responsible for developing and supervising MMA. 

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