House Bill Would Subject Local Medicare Contractors To More Transparency

Medicare administrative contractors (MACs) would have to make their processes more transparent and provide evidence backing their local coverage determinations (LCDs) for medical services and technologies under a bill introduced in the US House by Rep. Lynn Jenkins, R-Kan., July 11.

The medical technology industry for years has pushed the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to lean on MACs to be more open with device sponsors about how the local contractors make coverage decisions. For example, in early 2015, AdvaMed pushed the House Energy and Commerce Committee to include a section on increasing transparency in the LCD process in its 21st Century Cures bill