IDSA Mobilizes Stakeholders on Antibiotic Reimbursement Reform and Stewardship

IDSA continues to lead a coalition of stakeholders to urge the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and Congress to enact key policies to improve antibiotic reimbursement and strengthen stewardship. Most recently, IDSA led a diverse array of stakeholders in this letter to CMS and this letter to Congress, in support of this package of policy proposals:

1. Carve new antibiotics for serious or life-threatening infections out of the Medicare bundled payment (DRG) and allow them to be reimbursed for separately, to provide an opportunity for antibiotic developers—currently struggling to stay in business—to earn a fair return on investment.
2. Require hospitals to implement antibiotic stewardship programs that align with the CDC Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs.
3. Require hospitals to report antibiotic use and resistance data to the CDC National Healthcare Safety Network.

These policies comprise the DISARM Act, which was introduced in the Senate by Senators Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and Bob Casey (D-PA) and will soon be introduced in the House of Representatives by Reps. Danny Davis (D-IL) and Kenny Marchant (R-TX).  Click here to take two minutes to encourage your Members of Congress to cosponsor DISARM. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn for updates and share the message using the hashtag #DISARMsuperbugs.