Arlington, VA, Dec. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As the leading international organization on digital therapeutic (DTx) thought leadership and education, the Digital Therapeutics Alliance (DTA) welcomes the introduction of the ‘‘Medicaid and CHIP Access to Prescription Digital Therapeutics Act’’. This bipartisan legislation would provide guidance regarding coverage of prescription digital therapeutics under Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
This bipartisan legislation is championed by Senators Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and reflects the growing recognition of the clinical and health economic value that digital therapeutics provide to patients, caregivers, and clinicians – especially given the increased barriers to care that Medicaid beneficiaries continue to face during and beyond the Covid-19 pandemic.
This legislation provides much-needed clarity for states intending to provide access to digital therapeutics and comes at a critical moment for patients, when many are unable to access other forms of necessary therapies. Using this guidance to leverage existing pathways to expand access to DTx products for Medicaid-covered populations will enable those with chronic and mental health conditions to access expanded care options that can make a tremendous difference in their quality of life and healthcare outcomes.
In addition to providing critical guidance to enable more standardized coverage decisions across the country, the Medicaid and CHIP Access to Prescription Digital Therapeutics Act (S.5238) would also allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide technical assistance to states considering coverage of FDA-approved or cleared prescription digital therapeutic products, and would define ‘prescription digital therapeutic’ within the context of Medicaid.
“Digital therapeutics hold particular value for Medicaid populations with convenient, accessible, and personalized treatment options to address many unmet medical needs,” says Andy Molnar, DTA Chief Executive Officer. “This legislation would establish more clarity and uniformity in how prescription digital therapeutics are covered by public programs from state to state and is a critical step toward ensuring that these evidence-based treatments get into the hands of those who need them most. We are grateful for the work of the bill sponsors and look forward to working with a broad coalition of patients, clinicians, and others to pass this into law.”
