[ad_1]
Medicare beneficiaries should see a reduction in their Part B premiums next year after the federal government announced lower-than-expected spending on a Alzheimer’s controversial drug called Aduhelm.
Here’s a recap of what led up to this point and what to expect moving forward.
A Historically High Part B Premium Increase in 2022
Medicare beneficiaries got hit with an ugly surprise last year: The biggest year-over-year Part B premium increase in the federal program’s history was on its way.
Medicare Part B — which covers doctor visits, outpatient surgery, durable medical equipment and other services — jumped a whopping $21.60 at the beginning of 2022 to $170.10 a month.
Why?
Government officials said part of the 14.5% jump was due to an expensive new Alzheimer’s disease treatment called Aduhelm.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) wasn’t sure if it would cover Aduhelm when 2022 Part B premiums were announced in November.
While Medicare Part D covers prescription drugs, Part B covers some medications that are administered in a doctor’s office — like Aduhelm, which is delivered intravenously.
The complex infusion treatment is extremely expensive, with an initial price tag of $56,000 a year.
At the time, CMS said it “must plan for the possibility of coverage for this high cost Alzheimer’s drug” because it could lead to significantly higher expenditures for the Medicare program.
The new drug is also controversial in the medical community. Aduhelm received special accelerated FDA approval last summer despite widespread concerns from health care professionals over limited testing data and unproven effectiveness.
CMS Makes a Decision on Aduhelm
A few things have changed since November.
First, Biogen — Aduhelm’s manufacturer — cut the price of the drug from $56,000 per year to $28,200 in December after several months of sluggish sales.
Second, CMS finally released its National Coverage…
[ad_2]
Source link
