Just three weeks ago during DTA’s Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill, DTA and its Members asked legislators for two things: 1) Co-sponsor the Access to Prescription Digital Therapeutics Act, and 2) Urge CMS to use their authority to expand product supply coding and physician services. DTA is now very excited to see the introduction and immediate mark-up through Ways and Means of H.R. 8816, the American Medical Innovation and Investment Act of 2024. This bill is part of a package intended to increase access for seniors to advanced, cutting-edge medicine and the timing is significant given that CMS is preparing to release the proposed Physician Fee Schedule for 2025.
As part of the Digital Therapeutics Alliance’s policy and legislative strategy to continue to move the industry forward while working on the Access to Prescription Digital Therapeutics Act, H.R. 8816 represents a substantial step forward. Among other things, the bill requires exploration of the options that exist for Medicare coverage of AI-powered health care and digital therapies. Specifically, Section 6 would require CMS by no later than January 1, 2026 to:
The bill emphasizes the importance of modernizing healthcare delivery through innovative digital tools, which could significantly improve patient outcomes and healthcare efficiency.It not only legitimizes digital therapeutics within the broader healthcare framework but also is a critical step towards Medicare coverage for prescription digital therapeutics. This can drive broader adoption of digital health technologies, encourage further innovation, and ensure that patients have access to cutting-edge treatments.
Thank you to Representatives Buchanan, Hern, and Thompson for continuing to support this industry and drive forward access to digital therapeutics.
Read the Bill here: https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8816/text