The Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA) expressed concern in its submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on the proposed notice for the Transitional Coverage for Emerging Technologies (TCET) program.
MITA is the trade association representing manufacturers of medical imaging equipment, radiopharmaceuticals, contrast media, and focused ultrasound therapeutic devices.
In its comments, MITA was concerned about the scope and utility of the program as proposed. To ensure efficient market access for advanced imaging solutions and novel therapies, MITA recommended that CMS expand its criteria for TCET candidacy and grandfather products that would have been eligible for the previously proposed Medicare Coverage of Innovative Technology (MCIT) program but lost the opportunity to engage in that pathway when the MCIT program was rescinded.
MITA also noted that the TCET proposal, as written, does not align with other policy payment timeliness or adequately address ongoing coding and payment issues. Further, the association advocated for the agency to expand the number of products handled by the TCET program given ongoing advances across the medical field.
“The TCET program is a modest step towards ensuring coverage of innovative products, but it’s essential that CMS expand criteria for eligible medical devices and equip the program to handle more products per year,” says Patrick Hope, executive director of MITA. “We look forward to working alongside CMS to implement efficient pathways from FDA authorization of a product to access for Medicare beneficiaries.”
The full published comment is available here.
