Physicians Use FDA's Biosimilar Naming Plan To Lobby Against CMS Payment Proposal

A coalition of physicians is using FDA's plan to give biosimilars distinct names to lobby against CMS' payment proposal for such products. The physicians, who routinely administer biopharmaceuticals, say CMS should follow FDA's lead by assigning biosimilars unique billing codes, unless they're interchangeable -- CMS proposes to place biosimilars that reference the same brand biologic in a single billing code, regardless of interchangeability. Payment policies are expected to affect the market for biosimilars more than FDA's naming policy, according to...