ALEXANDRIA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- As part of the 60 Plus Association's “Keeping Seniors Safe” project, the organization’s chairman, Jim Martin, recently sent letters to the CEOs of five Part-D Medicare plans, urging them to provide accessible colchicine-based medications to gout patients after untested and potentially harmful options were removed from the marketplace as part of an important Food and Drug Administration (FDA) safety-initiative.
“In light of the FDA’s removal of unapproved colchicine from the market, [these outlying companies] must follow the lead of other Part-D insurers around the country and reclassify COLCRYS as a tier-1 or 2 drug to ensure seniors have access to their vital gout medications” Martin wrote to the CEOs of the companies. “It is unjust to force patients to suffer through often excruciatingly-painful acute gout flare-ups despite the fact that they were promised affordable coverage for their medications.”
The FDA’s “Unapproved Drugs Initiative” calls for the removal of unapproved drugs from the market when approved versions exist. The agency recently acted on this initiative by removing untested colchicine products from the market.
“The FDA did what was best for patients by removing untested colchicine products from the market,” wrote Martin. “We hope your company will also act in the best interest of patients and immediately work to ensure that seniors enrolled in your Part-D plan have access to the colchicine products they were promised—and sorely need.“
In addition to the CEOs of offending insurance companies, copies of Martin’s letter were sent to Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, HHS Deputy Secretary William Corr, CMS Administrator Donald Berwick, Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL), Representative Pete Stark (D-CA), Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Representative Henry Waxman (D-CA), Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), and Representative Allyson Schwartz (D-NY).
The 60 Plus Association is a 19-year-old nonpartisan organization working for death tax repeal, saving Social Security, affordable prescription drugs, lowering energy costs and other issues featuring a less government, less taxes approach as well as a strict adherence to the Constitution. 60 Plus calls on support from over 7 million activists. 60 Plus publishes a newsletter, SENIOR VOICE, and a Scorecard, bestowing awards on lawmakers of both parties who vote “pro-senior.” 60 Plus has been called, “an increasingly influential senior citizen’s group” and since 1992 “the conservative alternative to the AARP.”
CONTACT:
60 Plus Association
Matthew Kandrach, 703-807-2070
www.60Plus.org
KEYWORDS: United States North America District of Columbia Virginia
INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Seniors Health Public Policy/Government Healthcare Reform Congressional News/Views Pharmaceutical Public Policy White House/Federal Government Professional Services Insurance FDA Consumer Managed Care
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