Will CMS Fix the IRA for Community Oncology Before It’s Too Late?

When Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), policymakers hoped to lower drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries. While that goal is widely shared, the implementa­tion of the law—particularly under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) recently proposed guidance for the 2028 initial price applicability year (IPAY)—risks severely destabilizing the very health care providers who care for the majority of Americans facing cancer.

Under the current plan for implementing the IRA in Medicare Part B, reimbursement would be tied to the new Maximum Fair Price (MFP). But the mechanism proposed to adjust pro­vider payment undercuts community oncology practices by removing key...