Congressman Darin LaHood is a part of a bicameral and bipartisan group introducing legislation for hemophilia patients to have easier access to critical healthcare services at Skilled Nursing Facilities. Currently, Medicare patients with bleeding disorder are frequently denied access to clotting factor therapies– which can exceed $10,000 a day –because of the program’s per-diem reimbursement rates. The legislation would add treatments for hemophilia to the list of services paid for by Medicare.
The Bleeding and Clotting Disorders Institute in Peoria has voiced their advocacy for the legislation. National groups representing hemophilia and bleeding disorders, including the National Hemophilia Foundation, the Coalition for Hemophilia, the Hemophilia Alliance, and the Hemophilia Federation of America have all endorsed the Hemophilia SNF Access Act. The group sent a letter to Congress urging the importance of passing the legislation.
The bill was introduced this past Tuesday and has been assigned to both the Ways and Means Committee and the Committee on Energy and Commerce for further debate.