[Federal Register: May 16, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 96)] [Proposed Rules] [Page 28555-28604] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr16my08-19] [[Page 28555]] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Part II Department of Health and Human Services ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 42 CFR Parts 422 and 423 Medicare Program; Revisions to the Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Benefit Programs; Proposed Rule [[Page 28556]] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 42 CFR Parts 422 and 423 [CMS 4131-P] RIN 0938-AP24 Medicare Program; Revisions to the Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Benefit Programs AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS. ACTION: Proposed rule. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: This proposed rule would make revisions to the Medicare Advantage (MA) program (Part C) and prescription drug benefit program (Part D). The regulation contains new regulatory provisions regarding special needs plans, medical savings accounts (MSA) plans, and cost- sharing for dual eligible enrollees in the MA program, the prescription drug payment and novation processes in the Part D program, and the enrollment, appeals, and marketing processes for both programs. We are proposing these changes based on lessons learned since 2006, the initial year of the prescription drug program and the revised MA program. DATES: To be assured consideration, comments must be received at one of the addresses provided below, no later than 5 p.m. on July 15, 2008. ADDRESSES: In commenting, please refer to file code CMS-4131-P. Because of staff and resource limitations, we cannot accept comments by facsimile (FAX) transmission. You may submit comments in one of four ways (please choose only one of the ways listed): 1. Electronically. You may submit electronic comments on this regulation to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for ``Comment or Submission'' and enter the filecode to find the document accepting comments. 2. By regular mail. You may mail written comments (one original and two copies) to the following address ONLY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services, Attention: CMS-4131-P, P.O. Box 8016, Baltimore, MD 21244-8016. Please allow sufficient time for mailed comments to be received before the close of the comment period. 3. By express or overnight mail. You may send written comments (one original and two copies) to the following address ONLY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services, Attention: CMS-4131-P, Mail Stop C4-26-05, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850. 4. By hand or courier. If you prefer, you may deliver (by hand or courier) your written comments (one original and two copies) before the close of the comment period to either of the following addresses: a. Room 445-G, Hubert H. Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20201. (Because access to the interior of the HHH Building is not readily available to persons without Federal Government identification, commenters are encouraged to leave their comments in the CMS drop slots located in the main lobby of the building. A stamp-in clock is available for persons wishing to retain a proof of filing by stamping in and retaining an extra copy of the comments being filed.) b. 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850. If you intend to deliver your comments to the Baltimore address, please call telephone number (410) 786-7195 in advance to schedule your arrival with one of our staff members. Comments mailed to the addresses indicated as appropriate for hand or courier delivery may be delayed and received after the comment period. Submission of comments on paperwork requirements. You may submit comments on this document's paperwork requirements by following the instructions at the end of the ``Collection of Information Requirements'' section in this document. For information on viewing public comments, see the beginning of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Special Needs Plans--LaVern Baty, 410-786-5480. Contracts with MA Organizations--Chris McClintick, 410-786-4682. Medicare Medical Savings Account Plans--Anne Manley, 410-786-1096. Enrollment--Lynn Orlosky, 410-786-9064. Payment--Frank Szeflinski, 303-844-7119. Civil Money Penalties--Christine Reinhard, 410-786-2987. Reconsiderations-- John Scott, 410-786-3636. Kathryn McCann Smith, 410-786-7623. Marketing--Elizabeth Jacob, 410-786-8658. Change of Ownership--Scott Nelson, 410-786-1038. Low-income Cost-Sharing--Christine Hinds, 410-786-4578. Definitions related to the Part D drug benefit. Subparts F and G-- Deondra Moseley, (410) 786-4577 or Meghan Elrington, (410) 786-8675. Subpart R--David Mlawsky, (410) 786-6851. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Inspection of Public Comments: All comments received before the close of the comment period are available for viewing by the public, including any personally identifiable or confidential business information that is included in a comment. We post all comments received before the close of the comment period on the following Web site as soon as possible after they have been received: http:// www.regulations.gov. Follow the search instructions on that Web site to view public comments. Comments received timely will also be available for public inspection as they are received, generally beginning approximately 3 weeks after publication of a document, at the headquarters of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21244, Monday through Friday of each week from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. To schedule an appointment to view public comments, phone 1-800-743-3951. I. Background A. Overview of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) (Pub. L. 108-173) was enacted on December 8, 2003. The MMA established the Medicare prescription drug benefit program (Part D) and made revisions to the provisions in Medicare Part C, governing what is now called the Medicare Advantage (MA) program (formerly Medicare+Choice). The MMA directed that important aspects of the new Medicare prescription drug benefit program under Part D be similar to and coordinated with regulations for the MA program. The MMA also directed implementation of the prescription drug benefit and revised MA program provisions by January 1, 2006. The final rules for the MA and Part D prescription drug programs appeared in the Federal Register on January 28, 2005 (70 FR 4588 through 4741 and 70 FR 4194 through 4585, respectively). Many of the provisions relating to applications, marketing, contracts, and the new bidding process, for the MA program, became effective on March 22, 2005, 60 [[Page 28557]] days after publication of the rule, so that the requirements for both programs could be implemented by January 1, 2006. All of the provisions regarding the new Part D prescription drug program became effective on March 22, 2005. As we have gained more experience with the MA program and the prescription drug benefit program, we are proposing to revise areas of both programs. Many of these revisions clarify existing policies or codify current guidance for both programs. We believe that these changes would help plans understand and comply with our policies for both programs and aid MA organizations and Part D plan sponsors in implementing their health care and prescription drug benefit plans. B. Relevant Legislative History and Overview The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA) (Pub. L. 105-33) established a new ``Part C'' in the Medicare statute (sections 1851 through 1859 of the Social Security Act (the Act)) which provided for a Medicare+Choice (M+C) program. Under section 1851(a)(1) of the Act, every individual entitled to Medicare Part A and enrolled under Medicare Part B, except for most individuals with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), could elect to receive benefits either through the original Medicare program or an M+C plan, if one was offered where he or she lived. The primary goal of the M+C program was to provide Medicare beneficiaries with a wider range of health plan choices. The Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Balanced Budget Refinement Act of 1999 (BBRA), Public Law 106-111, amended the M+C provisions of the BBA. Further amendments were made to the M+C program by the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and Protection Act of 2000 (BIPA) (Pub. L. 106-554), enacted December 21, 2000. As noted above, the MMA was enacted on December 8, 2003. Title I of the MMA added a new ``Part D'' to the Medicare statute (sections 1860D- 1 through 1860D-42) creating the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, the most significant change to the Medicare program since its inception in 1965. Sections 201 through 241 of Title II of the MMA made significant changes to the M+C program which was established by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA) (Pub. L. 105-33). Title II of the MMA renamed the M+C program the MA program and included new payment and bidding provisions, new regional MA plans and special needs plans, reestablished authority for medical savings account (MSA) plans that had been provided in the BBA on a temporary basis, and other changes. Title I of the MMA created prescription drug benefits under Medicare Part D, and a new retiree drug subsidy program. Both the MA and prescription drug benefit regulations were published separately, as proposed and final rules, though their development and publication were closely coordinated. On August 3, 2004, we published in the Federal Register proposed rules for the MA program (69 FR 46866 through 46977) and the prescription drug benefit program (69 FR 46632 through 46863). In response to public comments on the proposed rules, we made several revisions to the proposed policies for both programs. For further discussion of these revisions, see the respective final rules (70 FR 4588-4741) and (70 FR 4194-4585). II. Provisions of the Proposed Regulations In the sections that follow, we discuss the proposed changes to the regulations in parts 422 and 423 governing the MA and prescription drug benefit programs. Several of the proposed revisions and clarifications affect both programs. In our discussion, we note when a provision would affect both the MA and prescription drug benefit and include in section II C, a table comparing the proposed Part C and D program changes by specifying each issue and the sections of the Code of Federal Regulations that we propose to revise for both programs. A. Proposed Changes to Part 422--Medicare Advantage Program 1. Special Needs Plans The Congress first authorized special needs plans (SNP) to exclusively or disproportionately serve individuals with special needs. The three types of special needs individuals eligible for enrollment identified by the Congress include (1) institutionalized individuals (defined in 42 CFR 422.2 as an individual residing or expecting to reside for 90 days or longer in a long term care facility), (2) individuals entitled to medical assistance under a State plan under title XIX, and (3) other individuals with severe or disabling chronic conditions that would benefit from enrollment in a SNP. The number of SNPs approved as of January 2008, is 787. This figure includes 442 dual eligible SNPs, 256 chronic care SNPs, and 89 institutional SNPs. a. Ensuring Special Needs Plans Serve Primarily Special Needs Individuals (Sec. 422.4) Section 231 of the MMA authorized MA organizations to offer a specialized MA plan that ``exclusively,'' or ``disproportionately,'' ``serves'' one of three categories of ``special needs'' individuals: Individuals dually-eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, institutionalized individuals, and individuals with severe or disabling chronic conditions that the Secretary determines would benefit from enrollment in a SNP. As noted above, the final rule implementing the MMA changes to the MA program, including these SNP provisions, was issued on January 28, 2005 (70 FR 4588). In the preamble to the proposed rule we proposed to interpret the term ``serves'' special needs individuals to mean markets to, and enrolls, special needs individuals. This was intended to permit an MA Plan with existing non-special needs enrollees to be designated a SNP if it prospectively, exclusively, or disproportionately enrolled special needs individuals. We also proposed to interpret the statutory phrase, ``disproportionately serve[s] special needs individuals'' to refer to a SNP that enrolls special needs individuals in a proportion greater than such individuals exist in the area served by the plan (69 FR 46874). We asked for public comments regarding whether we should specify a percentage, such as 50 percent or more, as the minimum enrollment for a plan to be considered a SNP. We did not receive any comments on this proposed provision. Therefore, in the final rule we established the disproportionate percentage methodology based on the test we proposed in the proposed rule, that is, a comparison of the proportion of the special needs individuals the plan enrolls relative to non-special needs enrollees and the proportion of special needs individuals in the plan's service area. If the proportion of special needs to non-special needs individuals being enrolled in the plan was greater than the proportion in the plan's service area, the plan could be considered a disproportionate share SNP. Our expectation was that only a limited number of non-special needs individuals would be likely to enroll in a SNP, such as spouses or children of special needs individuals who wish to enroll in the same MA plan as the spouse or parent. However, such plans may be attractive to other non-special needs individuals because they may [[Page 28558]] offer additional benefits beyond what Medicare covers. Also, individuals who are in the early stages of one of the chronic conditions covered by a disproportionate percentage, chronic care SNP may find the benefits or the network of participating specialists attractive. Disproportionate percentage SNPs have proliferated since the implementation of the Part D program, due, in part, to the fact that both dual eligible individuals and institutionalized individuals are permitted to enroll in MA plans year round, and dual eligible and institutional SNPs are thus permitted to market year round. CMS' information shows that a significant number of the dual-eligible disproportionate percentage SNPs may have between 25 percent and 40 percent of their enrollment composed of non-special needs individuals. As a result, we are concerned that disproportionate percentage SNPs are enrolling significant numbers of non-special needs individuals, thus diluting the focus on serving those individuals with special needs. Therefore, in order to ensure that existing and future SNPs maintain a primary focus on individuals with special needs, we are proposing to amend our regulations at Sec. 422.4(a)(1)(iv)(B) to require that MA organizations offering SNPs limit new enrollment of non-special needs members to no more than 10 percent of new enrollees, and that 90 percent of new enrollees must be special needs individuals as defined in Sec. 422.2. We believe this threshold would continue to allow the small number of non-SNP eligible spouses and children to continue to enroll in the same MA plan as their SNP eligible spouse or parent while ensuring that the SNP retains its focus on serving the special needs individuals for which it is specifically designed. We understand that the majority of SNPs that currently enroll both special needs and non-special needs individuals have current enrollments of non-special needs individuals that exceed 10 percent. Because the new limitation only applies to new enrollees, these plans would be able to continue to serve their existing membership. Organizations offering disproportionate enrollment SNPs would not be permitted to enroll new non-special needs individuals, however, without first enrolling enough special needs individuals to ensure that the percentage of new non-special needs enrollees remains below 10 percent. Furthermore, as specified in Sec. 422.4, those enrollees deemed continuously eligible per Sec. 422.52(d) are considered special needs individuals for the purpose of determining the disproportionate percentage. On an ongoing basis plans would need to monitor their enrollment to ensure that the 10 percent limit on new enrollments is met. This means that plans would need to monitor their enrollment to ensure that they were enrolling nine special needs individuals for every non-special needs individual to keep the ratio of new enrollees who were non- special needs individuals below 10 percent of new enrollees. MA organizations offering disproportionate SNPs would have to have a mechanism to ensure that a non-special needs individual could not enroll until a sufficient number of special needs individuals were enrolled to keep new enrollment of non-special needs individuals below 10 percent of new enrollments. For example, if a SNP receives completed enrollment elections from non-special needs individuals when such an enrollment would push the percentage of new enrollees over 10 percent, it could--(1) deny the enrollment due to the onset of the limit; or (2) place the enrollment on a waiting list to be processed after a sufficient number of special needs individuals have been enrolled. The plan would need to ensure that once enrollments are accepted for non- special needs individuals, that this is done on a non-discriminatory basis. We believe that this approach will encourage SNPs to design benefit packages that best serve the certain special needs populations for which they have been created. We welcome comments on the appropriateness of the 10 percent standard for new enrollees, as well as the most effective and least burdensome ways for plans to monitor the proportions of new enrollments. b. Ensuring Eligibility To Elect an MA Plan for Special Needs Individuals (Sec. 422.52) In order to elect a SNP, an individual must meet the eligibility requirements for the specific type of SNP in which the individual wishes to enroll. For example, to enroll in a dual eligible SNP, the individual must be eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. It is the responsibility of the MA organization offering the SNP to verify eligibility during the enrollment process. We are concerned that some dual eligible SNPs may not be appropriately verifying Medicaid eligibility of applicants for enrollment, and therefore may be enrolling beneficiaries who are not eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. Similarly, some chronic care SNPs may encounter difficulties having providers verify that the applicants have the condition(s) established as the focus of the chronic care SNP. We propose to clarify in our regulations that MA organizations must establish a process to verify that potential SNP enrollees meet the SNP's specific eligibility requirements. While this issue is addressed, to some degree, in our manual guidance (section 20.11 of Chapter 2 of the Medicare Managed Care Manual), we believe that it is important to ensure that plans are aware of and meet their obligations to verify an applicant's eligibility prior to enrolling individuals in a SNP through rule making. Therefore, we are proposing in Sec. 422.52(g) that MA organizations offering SNPs for dual eligible beneficiaries establish a process approved by CMS to obtain information from the State about the applicant's Medicaid status and that this verification must be obtained prior to enrollment. This would likely require the SNP to enter into an agreement with the State to obtain this information on a routine and timely basis. We address the issue of a relationship with the State Medicaid program in the case of a dual eligible SNP in more detail in section II, below. Those organizations offering chronic care SNPs must attempt to obtain verifying information directly from the beneficiary's provider or the organization may use the disease-specific pre- qualification assessment questions developed by, and available from CMS (model language) as an alternative methodology. In the 2008 MA application solicitation, we required SNPs to identify their processes for verifying a beneficiary's chronic condition before enrollment. Specifically, each applicant was required to contact the enrollee's physician to verify eligibility for the specific chronic condition SNP. We subsequently received industry comments that SNP staff sometimes experience significant delays in obtaining physician verification of the beneficiary's chronic condition and, as a consequence, there was delay in enrolling an eligible beneficiary. In response to this information, we developed an additional option to facilitate chronic condition verification. In a May 31, 2007 memorandum, we notified chronic condition SNPs that they could develop a pre-enrollment qualification assessment tool to expedite verification that beneficiaries had the chronic condition for which they were enrolled (see https://32.90.191.19/hpms/upload--area/NewsArchive-- [[Page 28559]] MassEmail/000001696/CHVHPMS%20v2.pdf). We simultaneously posted an example of an acceptable verification tool for coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, and/or cerebrovascular accident (stroke) on HPMS (see https://32.90.191.19/hpms/upload--area/NewsArchive-- MassEmail/000001696/Draft%20pre- Qual%for%20chronic%20SNP%20verification%205%2007%20(2).pdf). The notification memorandum instructed SNPs to draft a verification tool, complete an attestation form asserting compliance with CMS conditions listed on the form, and to submit the tool to CMS for review and approval prior to using the tool. Concurrently, we collaborated with physician experts in chronic disease management to develop a series of questions related to several chronic conditions listed in HPMS as of January 2, 2007, representing potentially severe or disabling primary chronic conditions. Questions similar to the above example were developed for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, chronic renal failure, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, dementia, and chronic alcohol or drug dependence. Because chronic condition SNPs request CMS approval for their proposed pre-enrollment qualification assessment tools, we use the disease-specific questions to guide the SNP in the design of an appropriate tool. Having the additional option of using a pre- enrollment qualification assessment tool gives SNPs three means of meeting the verification requirement--written documentation from the beneficiary's former physician, telephonic confirmation by the beneficiary's former physician, or use of the verification tool followed by post-enrollment confirmation by any physician. Similarly, organizations offering a SNP for institutionalized individuals must verify each enrollee's institutional status with the facility or appropriate State agency. c. Model of Care (422.101(f)) As noted above, the MMA permitted MA organizations to offer care targeted to beneficiaries with special health care needs through SNPs. The MMA specified that a special needs individual was an individual who was ``institutionalized'' (as defined by the Secretary), is entitled to medical assistance under a State plan under title XIX (Medicaid), or ``meets such requirements as the Secretary may determine would benefit from enrollment'' in a SNP for individuals ``with severe or disabling chronic conditions.'' In order to ensure that SNPs are providing care targeted to such special needs beneficiaries, under our authority in section 1856(b)(1) of the Act to establish standards by regulation, we are proposing that SNPs develop a model of care specific to the special needs population they are serving. In order to more clearly establish and clarify delivery of care standards for SNPs and to codify standards which we have included in other CMS guidance and instructions (the 2008 and 2009 Call Letters, ``Special Needs Plan Solicitation \1\''), we propose to add new paragraph (f) to Sec. 422.101. Section 422.101(f) would specify that SNPs must have networks with clinical expertise specific to the special needs population of the plan; use performance measures to evaluate models of care; and be able to coordinate and deliver care targeted to the frail/disabled, and those near the end of life based on appropriate protocols. We believe that these measures are critical to providing care to the types of special needs populations served by SNPs. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ The solicitation may be found at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ SpecialNeedsPlans. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- For example, CMS anticipates that a chronic condition SNP serving beneficiaries having severe or disabling diabetes mellitus would establish a provider network that afforded access to diabetes experts such as endocrinologists who consult on pharmacotherapy for the fragile diabetic, vitreo-retinal ophthalmologists for diabetic retinopathy management, nephrologists for diabetic nephropathy management, neurologists having diabetic neuropathy expertise, nurses having specialized training in diabetes education, and nutritionists with expertise in diabetic counseling. The SNP might enroll diabetic beneficiaries who develop chronic renal failure related to diabetic nephropathy and require dialysis. The SNP might choose to contract or partner with these specialized diabetes experts and/or dialysis facilities, but, as a special needs plan targeting beneficiaries with specialized diabetic needs, the SNP is obligated to provide services to manage the expected disease-specific complications of a diabetic with severe or disabling disease progression. We also expect that the chronic condition SNP serving diabetic beneficiaries would develop diabetes-specific performance measures to evaluate its own systems, experts, and health outcomes related to its diabetes management. The SNP's own internal quality assurance and performance improvement program should examine the effectiveness of its model of care for diabetes management. For example, if the SNPs provider network applied the American Diabetes Association's clinical practice guideline for reducing the risk of or slowing the progression of diabetic nephropathy by optimizing glucose control (see National Guidelines Clearinghouse, 2008; http://www.guideline.gov/summary/ summary.aspx?doc--id=10401), an appropriate performance measure to evaluate management of diabetic beneficiaries would be a process measure to determine the percentage of diabetics having glycosylated hemoglobin (Hgb A1C) measured in the last 6 months or an outcome measure to determine how many diabetics had an A1C measuring less than 7 percent (see National Quality Measures Clearinghouse, 2008; http://www.guideline.gov/browse/xrefnqmc.aspx). We recognize there is a broad range of chronic disease management systems and evidence-based clinical practice guidelines available to SNPs; consequently, we have deliberately guided SNPs toward the conceptual framework of a model of care without being prescriptive about the specific staff structure, provider network, clinical protocols, performance improvement, and communication systems. We also expect that within the target population of beneficiaries having severe or disabling diabetes mellitus, SNPs would have a subpopulation of diabetics who are frail, near the end of life, or disabled by other morbidities (for example, neurological disorders, mental disorders, etc.) that would need additional specialized benefits and services that should be addressed in the model of care. For example, the diabetic beneficiary with diabetic complications who is near the end of life might require assisted living or institutional services for which the SNP would develop different goals, expanded specialty services and facilities in their provider network, different performance measures, and additional protocols. d. Dual Eligible SNPs and Arrangements With States (Sec. 422.107) CMS' review of SNPs targeting beneficiaries eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid (dual eligible SNPs) over the past few years suggests to us that for such SNPs to serve this population of beneficiaries, a plan should have a documented relationship with the State Medicaid agency in the State in which its members reside. Dual eligible SNPs that have not established a working relationship with the State may [[Page 28560]] encounter difficulties verifying eligibility for Medicaid prior to enrollment in a SNP and, thus, may inappropriately enroll members who are not eligible for Medicaid. Also, without an arrangement with the State, SNPs may not have the information necessary to guide beneficiaries to providers that can deliver both Medicare and Medicaid services. Further, Medicaid often provides additional health services not covered by Medicare through the SNP. Medicare Advantage organizations (MA organization) with no State relationship may be advising dual eligible members that services are not covered at all because they are not covered under the SNP, even though the services are covered through Medicaid. Consequently, if the MA organization is not aware of the benefits available to its members through other sources, such as Medicaid, it cannot ensure that the model of care it delivers offers adequate coordination of the essential services. In order to ensure that beneficiaries are able to access essential services that are available through Medicaid in addition to those benefits available through the SNP, we propose to add a new Sec. 422.107 which would require that an MA organization seeking to offer a SNP to serve the dual eligible population must have, at a minimum, a documented relationship, such as a contract, memorandum of understanding (MOU), data exchange agreement, or some other agreed upon arrangement with the State Medicaid agency for the State in which the dual eligible SNP is operating, in an effort to improve Medicare and Medicaid integration. We propose in Sec. 422.107(a) that all SNPs, whether entering the market or already established at the time these regulations become effective, must have in place a dual eligibility verification arrangement and information sharing on Medicaid providers and benefits. We also propose in Sec. 422.107(b) that within 3 years of the effective date of these regulations, all dual eligible SNPs already offering contracts are required to develop additional formal arrangements with States, and that new SNPs offering contracts after these regulations are effective, are required to have formal arrangements by their third contract year. CMS is allowing 3 years because we understand that it may take this long for contractual arrangements between the State and an MA plan to be implemented, particularly if Medicaid capitation and a request for proposal (RFP) are involved. We believe that by providing States and MA organizations with the maximum amount of flexibility for having a documented relationship, it will encourage States to actively participate in the development of integrated Medicare and Medicaid products with MA organizations. We believe 3 years is a reasonable and sufficient amount of time for MA organizations to develop documented arrangements with their respective States. We understand that some States are not yet ready to engage and participate in providing health care through MA organizations for their Medicaid-eligible populations and, are, therefore, providing a 3-year window for development and implementation. Examples of additional formal arrangements range from documentation of a cooperative arrangement with the State to coordinate benefits to a contractual arrangement between the State Medicaid agency and the MA organization offering the SNP, under an RFP process, or under a Medicaid capitation arrangement. e. Special Needs Plans and Other MA Plans With Dual Eligibles: Responsibility for Cost-Sharing (Sec. 422.504(g)(1)) CMS' review of MA plans serving dual eligible beneficiaries over the past few years has identified that a number of providers are charging the beneficiaries Medicare Parts A and B cost sharing that is the responsibility of the State. Additionally, many dual eligible enrollees are unclear about the Medicare and Medicaid rules and benefits. Some new enrollees have experienced interruptions in treatment, resulting in a negative impact on their health. These experiences suggest that additional requirements are needed to ensure that both providers and beneficiaries understand Medicare and Medicaid rules and that beneficiaries do not pay cost-sharing for which they are not responsible. In order to protect beneficiaries and ensure that providers do not bill for cost-sharing that is not the beneficiary's responsibility, we have amended Sec. 422.504(g)(1)(i) and (g)(1)(ii) to require that all MA organizations, including SNPs, with enrollees who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid specify in their contracts with providers that enrollees will not be held liable for Medicare Parts A and B cost sharing when the State is liable for the cost-sharing. We are proposing, therefore, that contracts with providers state that the provider will do this by either accepting the MA plan payment in full (Sec. 422.504(g)(1)(iii)(A)) or by billing the appropriate State source (for example, Medicaid) (Sec. 422.504(g)(1)(iii)(B)). Additionally, we are proposing that all MA organizations with enrollees eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid must inform providers of the Medicare and Medicaid benefits and rules for enrollees eligible for Medicare and Medicaid (Sec. 422.504(g)(1)(iii)). Medicare Advantage organizations have flexibility in establishing arrangements with States. The arrangements could include discussing and identifying both the Medicare and Medicaid benefits and rules. A list of the services, as well as the rules applicable to enrollees eligible for Medicare and Medicaid could be disseminated to providers and updated as necessary. A contact person or liaison could be identified for each MA plan who could assist with questions and with the maintenance of current information. 2. MA MSA Transparency (Sec. 422.103(e)) As noted above, the MMA restored authority for ``Medical Savings Account'' (MSA) plans that had been provided for in the BBA on a temporary basis, but which expired without any such plan ever being offered. MSA plans are MA plans under which a portion of the total MA capitation rate is paid to the MA organization for a high-deductible policy that covers Medicare covered services after the high deductible is met. The remainder of the amount is placed into a savings account to be used to cover health care costs until the deductible is met. Any amounts not used in a given year accumulate for use in a future year. As noted, under the original BBA authority, no MA organization chose to offer an MSA plan. We believe that this might be attributable in part to differences between the rules for MSA plans and the more popular health savings account (HSA) arrangements available for non- Medicare beneficiaries. In order to encourage the offering of MSA plans, and to test whether changing some rules would be beneficial, we initiated an ``MSA demonstration'' under which some MSA rules were waived. As part of this demonstration, we required that participating MA organizations provide MSA plan enrollees with cost and quality information that they could use to make informed choices as to where they would get health care. Consistent with the best practices of HSAs and other high- deductible health plans, we propose in new Sec. 422.103(e) to require that all MSA plans provide enrollees with information on the cost and quality of services as specified by CMS and provide information to CMS [[Page 28561]] on how they would provide this information to enrollees.\2\ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \2\ HSAs are health insurance plans with a high deductible and a savings account for the under 65 population and are administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Medicare MSAs are a type of medical savings account, also with a high deductible and a savings account, designed for the Medicare population and are administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. HSAs and MSAs are governed by different statutes, and while these health insurance products are similar in many ways, there are also important differences between them. For further information on HSAs, go to http://www.ustreas.gov/ offices/public-affairs/hsa/. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The purpose of reporting cost/quality information to consumers, a practice known as ``transparency,'' is to permit plan enrollees to compare costs for specific services and to compare providers on cost and quality, with the high deductible acting as an added incentive to shop around. This proposal would implement a basic tenet of high- deductible health plans, the availability of useful cost and quality information to support consumer shopping. We recognize that the Congress exempted MSA plans from the quality improvement program requirements in section 1852(e)(1) of the Act, and thus from the data collection and reporting requirements in section 1852(e)(3) of the Act. We would not, under this requirement, be mandating the same level of data collection required under those provisions, or the reporting of quality data to CMS. Rather, we are presuming that MA organizations in the business of offering an MSA product are committed to facilitating the intended benefits of this model--that consumers make informed choices as to their health care purchases during the deductible period and beyond. We would expect that such organizations already have mechanisms in place, in connection with their commercial lines of business, for providing their beneficiaries with cost or quality information. Indeed, in the case of Medicare participating providers, such information is available from CMS through our own transparency initiatives. Our view that quality and cost information would be available, or reasonably accessible, to organizations in the business of offering an MSA plan is supported by the fact that the MA organizations participating in the MSA demonstration have agreed to provide the information to their enrollees. We invite public comments on this issue. We are proposing to revise the regulations to require that MA organizations offering MSA plans provide their enrollees with quality and cost information, to the extent available, concerning services in the plan's service area, and to report to CMS on its approach to providing this information. Below are examples of what a plan could be expected to address: How the organization will provide cost and quality information to enrollees, including screenshots for any Web-based tools used to meet this requirement. If they will use a Web-based product to meet this requirement, how they will provide this information to enrollees that do not have access to the Internet. How their organization will obtain information regarding cost and quality in the requested service area and whether this information will be personalized to the member. B. Proposed Changes to Part 423--Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program 1. Passive Election for Full Benefit Dual Eligible Individuals Who Are Qualifying Covered Retirees (Sec. 423.34) Section 1860D-1(b)(1)(C) of the Act, and implementing regulations at 42 CFR 423.34(d), require that CMS automatically enroll a full- benefit dual eligible (FBDE) individual who has (1) failed to enroll in a prescription drug plan (PDP) or MA-PD into a PDP at or below the premium subsidy amount, and, per the last sentence in section 1860D- 1(b)(1)(C) of the Act, (2) has not declined Part D enrollment, into a PDP with a premium at or below the full premium subsidy amount. Further, the statute requires that if there is more than one such plan the ``Secretary shall enroll such an individual on a random basis among all such plans in the PDP region.'' Our general policy in implementing these provisions is to notify individuals in advance about their pending auto-enrollment, and to include in that notice information about other plans available to the individual and about how to decline Part D coverage, and thus opt out of the default enrollment process. For the overwhelming majority of FBDE individuals, default enrollment into a PDP is a favorable outcome that ensures that they receive prescription drug coverage without costs for premiums and deductibles, and with only nominal costs for cost sharing. In many cases, the Part D enrollment is also beneficial for FBDE individuals with retiree coverage, since the Part D drug coverage may well be available at a lower cost than the coverage offered through the employer plan. However, for a significant number of FBDE individuals with drug coverage through an employer group plan--especially those with full health care coverage--automatic enrollment into a PDP can have serious and sometimes irreversible negative consequences, either for the beneficiary and/or for family members. For example, under the terms of a particular employer group plan, an individual may lose employer group retiree medical coverage upon enrollment in a Part D plan, or worse, an individual's automatic enrollment in a PDP can result not only in the individual's disenrollment from the employer plan, but the disenrollment of a spouse or other family member. Although we were aware of this possibility at the outset of the program, we had no information about the extent to which FBDE individuals might already have retiree group coverage, and we believed that to the extent there were individuals in this situation, the number would be extremely small. Thus, we did not make any special rules for this population. Since January 2006, however, we have received a relatively small, but steady, series of complaints about this issue. We have attempted to work with employers to resolve individual situations as they arose, but have not had complete success. A recent survey of large employers found that 36 percent of the firms indicated retirees would lose all retiree medical coverage upon enrollment in a Part D plan, and another 32 percent specified the retirees would lose their employer group drug coverage only. More importantly, 82 percent of employers indicated that if a retiree is enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan, the spouse of that individual would not be allowed to keep employer sponsored coverage. Finally, 57 percent of the firms surveyed indicated that they would not allow retirees to rejoin the company's coverage in the future, should they decide that they would prefer the employer coverage to the Part D coverage in which they were automatically enrolled based on their FBDE status. (See December 13, 2006, Kaiser/Hewitt Survey Report of Large Employers at http://www.kff.org/medicare/med121306nr.cfm). To address those concerns, we propose to revise Sec. 423.34(d)(1), and add new Sec. 423.34(d)(3), to establish a process under which FBDE individuals who we know to be enrolled in a qualifying employer group plan would be deemed to decline Part D coverage if, following a notice of their options, they do not indicate that they wish to receive it. As a result, these individuals would not be part of the group that is subject to default auto-enrollment. In order to ensure that only individuals with creditable employer coverage would be [[Page 28562]] included in this process, we would limit the applicability of this process to individuals enrolled in a plan for which CMS is paying an employer subsidy. Under our proposal, the individuals would be notified in advance by CMS of their prospective auto-enrollment, and of the need to carefully consider the possible repercussions of such an enrollment, including the impact that enrollment into Medicare Part D would have on their retiree coverage for themselves and other family members. We would recommend contacting the sponsor or administrator of the retiree group plan to discuss the effect of enrollment in Medicare Part D on the retiree coverage. Individuals would further be informed that by taking no action, they will be deemed to have elected to decline enrollment into a Part D plan. We would further inform them that they could enroll in a Part D plan at any time in the future if they wish to do so, and that the enrollment could be made retroactive. Thus, absent a confirmation of the individual's desire to be auto-enrolled into a Part D plan, he or she would retain the employer group coverage. In considering whether to adopt this approach, we recognized that to the extent that declining Part D could possibly have any negative consequences for FBDE individuals who are not auto-enrolled, CMS has the discretionary authority to make retroactive enrollment changes that can address such problems. In contrast, CMS has no authority to insist that a retiree plan sponsor allow individuals back into its plan should the retirees or their family members be adversely affected by auto enrollment. Given that 56 percent of employers surveyed have specifically stated that they would not allow re-enrollment into their retiree plans after an individual began Part D coverage, we believe that our proposed change in policy would clearly be in the best interests of the FBDE population with retiree coverage. 2. Part D Late Enrollment Penalty (Sec. 423.46) Section 1860D-22(b) of the Act established a Part D late enrollment penalty (LEP) for beneficiaries who have a continuous period of 63 days or longer following the end of an individual's Part D initial enrollment period without creditable prescription drug coverage. This requirement is codified in Sec. 423.46. Although Sec. 423.46 describes which individuals would be subject to a penalty, it does not specify the role of the Part D plan in the LEP determination process. We have subsequently outlined plan responsibilities in our existing guidance (Chapter 4 of the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Manual) and now propose to clarify the general responsibilities of Part D plans in our regulations. First, we would clarify under Sec. 423.46(b) that Part D plans must obtain information on prior creditable coverage from all enrolled or enrolling beneficiaries. Under this process, plans first query CMS systems for previous plan enrollment information, which is a standard part of the beneficiary enrollment process. When no previous enrollment information exists, however, the process for obtaining creditable coverage information must also include plan interaction with the beneficiary. This is due in large part to the limited information available in CMS' systems about forms of creditable coverage other than Part D coverage or coverage through an employer group under the retiree drug subsidy (RDS). Therefore, it is critical that plans obtain historical creditable coverage information from the beneficiary in order to determine the number of uncovered months, if any, and retain any information collected concerning that determination (as specified under proposed Sec. 423.46(d)). The related requirement that we are proposing under Sec. 423.46(b) is that plans must then report creditable coverage information in a manner specified by CMS. Specifically, that would entail reporting the number of uncovered months to CMS, which will then calculate the penalty and report the penalty back to the plan. The plan then notifies the beneficiary of the determination of the LEP amount and of their ability to request a reconsideration of this determination. Thus, we would also establish under Sec. 423.46(c) that, consistent with section 1860(D)-22(b)(6)(C) of the Act, individuals who are determined to have a late enrollment penalty, have the opportunity to ask for a reconsideration of this determination. (Note that existing Sec. 423.56(g) briefly references the ability to ``apply to CMS'' when an individual believes that he or she was not adequately informed that his or her prescription drug coverage was not creditable, and we would cross-reference that section here.) We believe that the statute clearly intends that individuals have an opportunity to provide CMS, or an independent review entity acting under CMS' authority, with additional information related to prior prescription drug coverage in support of a request for reconsideration of a late enrollment penalty determination. While the statute expressly provides for this opportunity only with respect to an argument that proper notice was not given concerning whether existing coverage was creditable, we believe that the same rationale could apply to other arguments that the penalty should not apply (for example, an argument that the individual is eligible for a waiver of the penalty under a demonstration project). Finally, we would specify that a beneficiary would not have the right to further review of the reconsideration decision of CMS, or the independent review entity acting under CMS' authority. CMS would, however, have the discretion to reopen, review, and revise such a decision. 3. Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program Definitions These proposed clarifications to our policies associated with the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit (also known as Medicare Part D) include refining our definitions related to what may be included in the drug costs Part D sponsors use as the basis for calculating beneficiary cost sharing, reporting drug costs to CMS for the purposes of reinsurance reconciliation and risk sharing, as well as submitting bids to CMS. We also propose a new definition for administrative costs in order to further clarify costs that must not be included in Part D drug costs. We also propose to create corollary definitions for drug cost reporting for purposes of the Retiree Drug Subsidy (RDS). We propose that the effective date of these changes be the effective date of a final rule with the exception of specific changes to the Part D definition of ``negotiated prices'', ``gross covered prescription drug costs'', and ``allowable risk corridor costs'' related to the use of pass-through versus lock-in prices, which we propose to be effective for coverage year 2010. We propose that the effective date of the RDS definitions be the effective date of a final rule, that is, for all plan years beginning after the effective date of a final rule. a. Subpart C--Benefits and Beneficiary Protections (Definitions) i. Incurred Costs CMS is proposing to amend the definition of ``incurred costs'' to reflect our current policy that certain nominal co-payments assessed by manufacturer Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs) can be applied toward an enrollee's TrOOP balance or total drug spend (the accumulated total prices for covered Part D drugs paid by the plan or by or on behalf of the beneficiary). CMS allows PAPs to provide assistance for covered Part D drugs to Part D enrollees [[Page 28563]] outside the Part D benefit. This means that payments made by PAPs do not count toward enrollees' TrOOP or total drug spend balances. However, if a PAP requires their enrollees--including those enrolled in a Part D plan--to pay a nominal copayment when they fill a prescription for a covered Part D drug for which the PAP provides assistance, such amounts would count toward TrOOP if the plan is notified of the copayment. As explained in Appendix C of Chapter 14 (Coordination of Benefits) of the Prescription Drug Benefit Manual, these nominal PAP copayment amounts, when paid by or on behalf of a Part D enrollee, are applicable to the enrollee's TrOOP and total drug spend balances, provided the enrollee submits appropriate documentation to their Part D plan. We are proposing to revise the definition of incurred costs to clearly indicate that these nominal PAP copayments are included in incurred costs. This revision to the definition of ``incurred costs'' in Sec. 423.100 is consistent with the proposed changes to the definition of ``gross covered prescription drug costs'', which has also been revised to ensure that these nominal PAP copayments are included in gross covered prescription drug costs and allowable reinsurance costs. ii. Negotiated Prices In the January 2005 final rule, CMS defined a number of terms related to drug prices and costs in order to identify the costs that should be used to calculate beneficiary cost sharing, to advance the beneficiary through the benefit, and to calculate final plan payments for reinsurance subsidies and risk sharing during payment reconciliation. For instance, under Sec. 423.104(d)(2)(i), beneficiary cost sharing under the initial coverage limit is equal to 25 percent of ``actual cost.'' (70 FR 4535) ``Actual cost'' is defined in Sec. 423.100 as ``the negotiated price for a covered Part D drug when the drug is purchased at a network pharmacy, and the usual and customary price when a beneficiary purchases the drug at an out-of-network pharmacy consistent with Sec. 423.124(a).'' (70 FR 4533) And in Sec. 423.100, the term ``negotiated prices'' is defined as ``prices for covered Part D drugs that (1) are available to beneficiaries at the point of sale at network pharmacies; (2) are reduced by those discounts, direct or indirect subsidies, rebates, other price concessions, and direct or indirect remunerations that the Part D sponsor has elected to pass through to Part D enrollees at the point of sale; and (3) includes any dispensing fees. (70 FR 4534) Since that time, we have received questions over what we meant in this last definition when we refer to prices for covered Part D drugs that are available to beneficiaries at the point of sale. These questions are particularly important because beneficiary cost sharing is a function of the negotiated price, either directly as in coinsurance percentages of negotiated price, or indirectly, as copayments are ultimately tied to actuarial equivalence requirements based on negotiated prices. That is, for instance, the higher the negotiated prices, the higher the fixed copayments must be to result in actuarial equivalence to 25 percent in the aggregate in the initial coverage phase. The ``total drug spend'' (the accumulated total prices for covered Part D drugs paid at the point of sale by the plan or by or on behalf of the beneficiary) also is a function of the negotiated price. Because the total drug spend is used to determine when the beneficiary advances through the deductible and the initial coverage phases of the Part D benefit, higher negotiated drug prices would cause the beneficiary to more quickly advance through those various phases. Accordingly, because higher negotiated prices would advance the beneficiary through the initial coverage phase more quickly, fewer prescriptions on average would be subsidized by the plan through the initial coverage period. Also, a beneficiary enrolled in basic prescription drug coverage (as defined in Sec. 423.100) would reach the coverage gap more quickly, with the costs of covered Part D drugs purchased during the coverage gap phase financed entirely by the beneficiary. In addition, since beneficiaries must have access to the same negotiated prices during the coverage gap, the higher the negotiated prices, the higher the amounts paid by beneficiaries for drugs in the coverage gap may be. Similarly, higher negotiated prices would mean higher cost-sharing for beneficiaries who reach the catastrophic threshold. Because cost- sharing for the catastrophic phase of the benefit generally is based on 5 percent of the negotiated price, the higher the negotiated price, the higher the cost-sharing at the catastrophic level. For all these same reasons, higher negotiated prices would mean higher low-income cost sharing subsidies paid by the government. Under the low-income cost sharing subsidy, low-income subsidy eligible individuals pay reduced or no cost sharing for covered Part D drugs. The government subsidizes the cost sharing for these beneficiaries by reimbursing Part D sponsors for the difference between the cost sharing paid by other Part D beneficiaries and the cost sharing paid by low- income subsidy (LIS) eligible individuals. Higher negotiated prices would result in higher cost sharing paid by other Part D beneficiaries and therefore, higher low-income cost sharing subsidies paid by the government to plan sponsors. Because higher negotiated prices (and therefore, higher total drug spend) will advance beneficiaries through the phases of the Part D benefit more quickly, a greater number of beneficiaries will reach the catastrophic phase of the benefit more quickly. In addition, higher negotiated prices generally will result in higher covered Part D drug costs during the catastrophic phase. As a result, the reinsurance subsidies paid by the government to Part D sponsors to reimburse 80 percent of the covered Part D drug costs in the catastrophic phase of the benefit will be higher. We believe that, in a competitive market, negotiated prices would be minimized when such prices are fully transparent to plan sponsors and beneficiaries. Consequently we strove to base our guidance on the principle of limiting drug costs to the price paid at the pharmacy (meaning any pharmacy, including mail-order pharmacies). In the preamble to the final rule we explained that drug costs include: Ingredient cost, dispensing fee, and sales tax (70 FR 4307). These three terms refer to specific fields on the automated prescription drug claim transaction that unambiguously indicate the amounts paid to the pharmacy by the payer of the claim. Therefore, by using these terms, CMS intended to refer to the price paid at the pharmacy and not the price paid by the sponsor to the PBM. Furthermore, the preamble states that ``we assume that ingredient cost and dispensing fee reflect point of sale price concessions in accordance with purchase contracts between plans (or their agents, such as PBMs) and pharmacies * * *'' (70 FR 4307), and that ingredient cost and dispensing fee reflect the drug price paid to the pharmacy and should reflect any point-of-sale price concessions from the pharmacy whether they are provided directly to the Part D sponsor or indirectly through a contracted PBM. Thus, we intended to define the term ``negotiated prices'' consistent with ``pass-through'' prices, an industry term for the prices negotiated with and paid to the pharmacy (either directly by the sponsor or indirectly through an [[Page 28564]] intermediary contracting organization, such as a PBM on the sponsor's behalf). With ``pass-through'' prices, the price paid to the pharmacy is the price passed on to the beneficiary (and, in the case of LIS eligible individuals, to the government) at the point of sale. However, after publication of the final rule and issuance of clarifying subregulatory guidance in Spring 2006, CMS received comments that the notice and comment rulemaking had not made this point clearly, and that the regulation could be read to allow an alternative interpretation of the price paid at the point of sale. Specifically, these comments asserted that the ``lock-in'' pricing approach, a contract method by which a plan sponsor agrees to pay a PBM a set rate for a particular drug which may vary from the price that the PBM negotiates with each pharmacy, also met the definition of negotiated prices issued in the regulation. Under such pricing arrangements, the PBM consistently bills one ``lock-in'' price negotiated with the sponsor for a drug (often based on AWP), but may pay a variety of different prices to network pharmacies based on varying contractual terms. On any given drug purchase, the PBM may pay the pharmacy a higher or lower price than it will bill the plan sponsor. However, we assume that the prices billed to the plan sponsor are generally higher than the prices paid to pharmacies, resulting in an overall net profit to the PBM that is marketed as a ``risk premium'' earned for shielding the sponsor from price variability. We welcome comments on this assumption. Commenters argued that these stable prices negotiated between the sponsor and the PBM also met the definition of ``negotiated prices'' in the final rule. (We note that when the negotiated price under the plan is the lock-in price, if the pharmacy price is lower than the lock-in price, the pharmacy will still have to collect the higher lock-in price from the beneficiary during the deductible or coverage gap and transfer the excess amount to the PBM in some manner.) On the basis of that alternative interpretation, some Part D sponsor applicants who held network contracts through PBMs based on the lock-in pricing methodology had based their 2006 and 2007 bids on such prices and could not renegotiate such contracts easily. Consequently, on July 20, 2006, we issued guidance to Part D sponsors stating that, in order to minimize disruption to plan operations, for 2006 and 2007, sponsors could, at their option, base beneficiary cost-sharing not on the price ultimately charged by the pharmacy for the drug, but on the ``lock-in'' price, the price the sponsor paid a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) or other intermediary for the drug. We also stated our intent to issue a proposed rule that would require a single approach for calculating beneficiary cost sharing, based upon the price ultimately received by the pharmacy. Therefore, we are now proposing to amend our definition of negotiated prices. We previously proposed to amend this definition in the notice of proposed rule making, Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit (72 FR 29403-29423). However, we chose not to finalize this proposed definition in the final rule (73 FR 20486-20509) in order to further examine the impact of this proposal and provide the public with an additional opportunity to comment on this proposed definition. We have noted below, some of the impact concerns for which we would like to receive additional comments. We will consider the comments received on this definition from the previous proposed rule, as well as comments received on this proposed rule when determining whether to finalize this policy. In order to resolve the confusion caused by the Prescription Drug Benefit final rule, we are now proposing to amend the definition of ``negotiated prices'' (to be effective for Part D contract year 2010) to require that Part D sponsors base beneficiary cost sharing on the price ultimately received by the pharmacy or other dispensing provider. Specifically, we are proposing to revise Sec. 423.100 so that the first part of the definition of ``negotiated prices'' would state that negotiated prices are prices that the Part D sponsor (or other intermediary contracting organization) and the network dispensing pharmacy or other network dispensing provider have negotiated as the amount the network dispensing pharmacy or other network dispensing provider will receive, in total, for a particular drug. The term ``intermediary contracting organization'' refers to organizations such as pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) that contract with plan sponsors to provide one or more of a variety of administrative functions on the sponsor's behalf, such as negotiating pharmacy contracts, negotiating rebates and other price concessions from manufacturers, and/or providing drug utilization management or benefit adjudication services. The term ``intermediary contracting organization'' encompasses any entity that contracts with a plan sponsor to pay pharmacies and other dispensers for Part D drugs provided to enrollees in the Part D sponsor's plan, regardless of whether the intermediary contracting organization negotiates pharmacy contracts on behalf of the plan sponsor or on its own behalf. Similarly, the term ``intermediary contracting organization'' encompasses any entity that negotiates rebates or other price concessions with manufacturers for Part D drugs provided to enrollees in the Part D sponsor's plan, regardless of whether the intermediary contracting organization negotiates the rebate agreements explicitly on behalf of the plan sponsor or on its own behalf. Our proposed definition excludes any differential between the price paid to the pharmacy and the price paid to the PBM or other intermediary contracting organization, and instead treats that differential (or ``risk premium'') as an administrative cost paid to the PBM or intermediary contracting organization rather than a drug cost under Part D. We elaborate on our reasons for in effect proposing to require the reporting of ``pass-through'' versus ``lock-in'' prices for Part D drug costs further below, as well as solicit specific comments from multiple stakeholders to ensure we are aware of all of the ramifications of this proposed policy. We would also revise the definition of ``negotiated prices'' (to be effective upon the effective date of a final rule) to include prices for covered Part D drugs negotiated between the Part D sponsor (or its intermediary contracting organization) and other network dispensing providers. Part D