A new Avalere analysis finds that proposed Medicare payment changes for physician-administered drugs would reduce reimbursement for those that cost more than $480 per day in 2016. As a result, specialties that use higher-cost drugs, including ophthalmologists, oncologists, and rheumatologists, would experience a reduction in payments; though, many of the drugs do not have lower cost alternatives. The analysis shows that seven of the 10 drugs that constitute the largest reduction in reimbursement are used to treat cancer. Meanwhile, some primary care physicians, who tend to use lower cost drugs, would be paid more.
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