As I mentioned yesterday, one of the options that might be available to me is a new drug called Provenge. Though this treatment was approved by the FDA back in April, Medicare is still dragging their feet.  I do not have Medicare, but this decision has an indirect impact on my insurance coverage because most private insurers follow the lead or negotiate the amount they pay the pharmaceutical companies, based on the decision of Medicare.

The Medicare Evidence Development & Coverage Advisory Committee (MEDCAC) of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) meeting is Wednesday, Nov 17th. Discussion will focus on the currently available evidence regarding the clinical benefits and harms of on-label and off-label use of Autologous Cellular Immunotherapy Treatment of Metastatic Prostate Cancer (aka Provenge), and if it is adequate for the Committee to advise that the treatment costs be covered by Medicare.

THIS should be very important to all of you, regardless if you or a loved one has Prostate Cancer. Why? This is a landmark and historic decision by MEDCAC as they are evaluating for the first time ‘how much is too much’? Depending on their decision, it could have historic impacts on other cancer treatments, as well as other medical treatments in general.