NANASP STATEMENT ON NEWLY UPDATED CMS GUIDANCE ON PNEUMOCOCCAL VACCINES FOR OLDER AMERICANS
The CMS action came in direct response to letters and additional communications from NANASP and other partner organizations, including Justice in Aging, the National Caucus and Center on Black Aging, the National Hispanic Council on Aging, and The Gerontological Society of America.
NANASP Board Chair Linda Miller said, “We appreciate this action taken by CMS that will provide important and improved protection for older adults against pneumonia.”
The updated guidance supersedes an earlier recommendation that only those older adults who had not previously received a pneumonia vaccine would be eligible to receive the new and improved version.
NANASP Executive Director Robert Blancato noted, “We felt the earlier guidance was too restrictive and did not give proper value to the millions of older adults who had received a pneumonia vaccine. Our group position was simple: all older adults should have access to the most up to date pneumonia vaccine, no matter their previous vaccination status. However, NANASP does continue to have some concerns with the CMS policy and its inclusion of shared clinical decision-making for newer vaccines. It stands as an unnecessary burden for health care providers and the older adults they serve. The decision should always be what is most effective in prevention and best for the patient.”
CMS is expected to issue a notification to healthcare providers about the new policy via its Medicare Learning Network in the very near future.
About NANASP:
NANASP is an active member of the aging network and works collaboratively with key coalitions, including the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations, the Elder Justice Coalition, and Defeat Malnutrition Today, on issues which concern the older adults our members serve, such as nutrition, Medicare and Medicaid, elder justice, Social Security and other retirement security issues, transportation, and older workers’ issues.
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Meredith Whitmire
Gray Media Group
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