Nine physician groups sent a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar Wednesday expressing concern about drug pricing proposals related to Medicare Part B and Medicare Part D that they said would hurt patient care.

The letter said a plan to consolidate certain physician-administered drugs covered under Medicare Part B into the Part D program would create patient access issues. The plan would also cut physician reimbursements for new drugs below the current payment rates.

The changes would force patients to seek treatment in higher-cost sites of care, the letter said, and because Medicare Part D does not allow for supplemental coverage, patients would be responsible for larger portions of the cost of their biologic therapies. Medicare Part D plans have relatively high cost-sharing for specialty drugs.

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