Cancer Doctors Lose Appeal Over Medicare Part B Drug Pay Cuts

Doctors who specialize in treating cancer lost a bid to have a court review an automatic 2% cut in the amount of money they’re reimbursed for Medicare Part B-covered drugs they give their patients after a federal appeals court in Washington said Tuesday the federal Medicare Act prohibits the suit.

The Medicare Act expressly strips federal courts of subject matter jurisdiction over any claim “arising under” the law, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said. Community Oncology Alliance’s suit seeking increased payments for its member oncologists “plainly” falls in that category, it said.

Then-President ...