Capito, Shaheen Reintroduce Access to Prescription Digital Therapeutics Act

WASHINGTON, D.C.–U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) recently reintroduced bipartisan legislation that would increase access to Prescription Digital Therapeutics (PDTs).
“Prescription Digital Therapeutics are an excellent example of how innovative technology can address some of the health challenges providers and patients continue to face,”Senator Capito said.“TheAccess to Prescription Digital Therapeutics Actwould allow more patients living with a broad variety of diseases and conditions to more efficiently access the care and support they need and deserve.”
“Our bipartisan legislation reduces outdated barriers to increase access to innovative treatments that can help Granite Staters fighting diseases get better,”Senator Shaheen said.“Prescription Digital Therapeutics can be a powerful tool in combatting the opioid and mental health crises affecting so many across our state – but right now, those treatments are out of reach for too many in need. I’m proud to lead the bipartisan Access to Prescription Digital Therapeutics Act with Senator Capito to bring this innovative care in line with traditional treatment so Medicare patients can get the therapies that work best for them.”
BACKGROUND:
TheAccess to Prescription Digital Therapeutics Actwould expand Medicare coverage to include PDTs, which are software-based disease treatments designed to directly treat disease. PDTs are designed and tested much like traditional prescription drugs but rather than swallowing a pill or taking an injection, patients receive cognitive therapy through software. The treatments are tested for safety and efficacy in randomized clinical trials, evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and prescribed by health care providers.
Full text of the legislation is availablehere.
# # #