A new OIG report estimates that Medicare could realize significant savings if drug manufacturers were required to pay rebates on Medicare Part B drugs, similar to rebates under the Medicaid program. Specifically, Medicare could have collected $3.1 billion in 2011 if manufacturers had been required to pay rebates based on average manufacturer price (AMP) for 60 high-expenditure Part B drugs, while rebates based on average sales price (ASP) for the same drugs could have generated $2.7 billion in payments. In the report, the OIG recommends that CMS examine establishing such a Part B drug rebate program and, if appropriate, seek legislative change. CMS rejected this suggestion, noting that developing such a plan – which would require new legislative authority -- would necessitate analysis of the effects of making fundamental changes to the Part B claims payment system, the impact on providers, and the impact on access to care. CMS maintains that it is "unable to devote significant administrative resources at this time to a proposal that is neither a provision of current law or actively under consideration." (The Administration has, on the other hand, advocated rebates for Medicare Part D drugs furnished to low-income subsidy beneficiaries as part of its FY 2014 budget proposal.)
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