CMS postpones Medicare Part D enforcement until 2019

November 01, 2016 Baltimore — The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced Oct. 31 that it is once again delaying the enforcement of the Medicare Part D prescriber enrollment requirement.

The new deadline for providers to enroll is Jan. 1, 2019.

CMS published a final rule in May 2014 and an interim final rule in May 2015 stating that prescribers must be enrolled or validly opted out in order for their written prescriptions to be covered under Part D.

Previously CMS said that enforcement of this requirement would begin on Feb. 1, 2017, but the agency said Oct. 31 that it also "recognizes the need to minimize the impact on the beneficiary population and ensure beneficiaries have access to the care they need."

To do this, the agency said it plans to "implement a multifaceted, phased approach that will align full enforcement of the Part D prescriber enrollment requirements with other ongoing CMS initiatives."

The Association continues to seek a legislative repeal of the requirement and continues to support H.R. 4062, bipartisan legislation introduced in 2015 that calls for removing the mandate that certain providers, including dentists, be enrolled in Medicare in order for pharmacists to be reimbursed.

For more information on the CMS delay, visit CMS.gov.