Alzheimer’s drug cited as Medicare premium jumps by $21.60
3 years, 1 month ago

Alzheimer’s drug cited as Medicare premium jumps by $21.60

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Medicare’s “Part B” outpatient premium will jump by $21.60 a month in 2022, one of the largest increases ever. Medicare officials told reporters on Friday that about half the increase is due to contingency planning if the program ultimately has to cover Aduhelm, the new $56,000-a-year medication for Alzheimer’s disease from pharmaceutical company Biogen. “The increase in the Part B premium for 2022 is continued evidence that rising drug costs threaten the affordability and sustainability of the Medicare program,” said Medicare chief Chiquita Brooks-LaSure in a statement. confirms the need for Congress to finally give Medicare the ability to negotiate lower prescription drug costs,” Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., said in a statement.

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History of this topic

Alzheimer’s wonder drug blocked on NHS over cost
2 months ago

Alzheimer’s wonder drug blocked on NHS over cost

The Telegraph  

The most effective drug for Alzheimer’s has been blocked for use on the NHS. Regulators have declared the new treatment for the disease safe for use but the rationing body has immediately ruled that it is too expensive for NHS patients. The decision on donanemab – the second drug found to slow the progress of Alzheimer’s disease – mirrors that …

Biden admin to spend billions to blunt spike in Medicare drug premiums
4 months, 1 week ago

Biden admin to spend billions to blunt spike in Medicare drug premiums

Politico  

But efforts to alleviate the increase — by giving health insurers an extra $15 per member a month — have Republicans accusing the administration of attempting to buy a reprieve for a reliable voting bloc. “This is a way for the executive branch to implement a policy which has very positive political ramifications for them, but with very sketchy legal …

Biogen will stop selling its controversial Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Biogen will stop selling its controversial Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm

Associated Press  

Biogen will stop selling its Alzheimer’s treatment Aduhelm, a drug once seen as a potential blockbuster that stumbled after its launch a few years ago. The company also is helping Japanese drugmaker Eisai sell another Alzheimer’s treatment, Leqembi, which received full FDA approval last summer. When Aduhelm debuted in 2021, it was the first new Alzheimer’s drug in nearly two …

10 drugs targeted for Medicare price negotiations as Biden pitches cost reductions
1 year, 3 months ago

10 drugs targeted for Medicare price negotiations as Biden pitches cost reductions

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden touted the potential cost savings of Medicare’s first-ever price negotiations for widely used prescription drugs on Tuesday as he struggles to convince Americans that he’s improved their lives as he runs for reelection. Currently, pharmacy benefit managers that run Medicare prescription plans negotiate rebates off a drug’s price. The new drug price negotiations aim “to …

Insurers won’t cover new Alzheimer’s treatment for some customers
1 year, 4 months ago

Insurers won’t cover new Alzheimer’s treatment for some customers

Associated Press  

Some private insurers are balking at paying for the first drug fully approved to slow mental decline in Alzheimer’s patients. Insurers selling coverage in North Carolina, Pennsylvania and New York, among other states, told The Associated Press they won’t cover Leqembi with insurance offered on the individual market and through employers because they still see the $26,000-a-year drug as experimental. …

Alzheimer: This Country Has Approved New Drug That Will Combat Cognitive Decline
1 year, 5 months ago

Alzheimer: This Country Has Approved New Drug That Will Combat Cognitive Decline

News 18  

The US drug regulator gave full approval to a new Alzheimer’s medicine on Thursday, a move that makes it more widely available to the public through government-run health insurance for the elderly. “This confirmatory study verified that it is a safe and effective treatment for patients with Alzheimer’s disease,” senior FDA official Teresa Buracchio said in a statement. “This treatment, …

Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi has full FDA approval now and that means Medicare will pay for it
1 year, 5 months ago

Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi has full FDA approval now and that means Medicare will pay for it

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — U.S. officials granted full approval to a closely watched Alzheimer’s drug on Thursday, clearing the way for Medicare and other insurance plans to begin covering the treatment for people with the brain-robbing disease. The Food and Drug Administration endorsed the IV drug, Leqembi, for patients with mild dementia and other symptoms caused by early Alzheimer’s disease. “This confirmatory …

Alzheimer's drug Leqembi gets full FDA approval. Medicare coverage will likely follow
1 year, 5 months ago

Alzheimer's drug Leqembi gets full FDA approval. Medicare coverage will likely follow

NPR  

Alzheimer's drug Leqembi gets full FDA approval. Medicare coverage will likely follow Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Harnik/AP Andrew Harnik/AP The Food and Drug Administration has fully approved the first drug shown to slow down Alzheimer's disease. In January, the drug received what's known as accelerated approval from the FDA, based on its ability to remove the substance beta-amyloid …

Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi has full FDA approval now and that means Medicare will pay for it
1 year, 5 months ago

Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi has full FDA approval now and that means Medicare will pay for it

LA Times  

This image provided by Eisai in January 2023 shows vials and packaging for their medication, Leqembi. On Thursday, U.S. officials granted full approval to the closely watched Alzheimer’s drug, clearing the way for Medicare and other insurance plans to begin covering the treatment for people with the brain-robbing disease. U.S. officials granted full approval to a closely watched Alzheimer’s drug …

Opinion: New Alzheimer’s drugs are costly and controversial. Are we going about this all wrong?
1 year, 6 months ago

Opinion: New Alzheimer’s drugs are costly and controversial. Are we going about this all wrong?

LA Times  

An illustration depicting neurons in a brain affected by Alzheimer’s disease, with abnormal accumulations of beta-amyloid and tau proteins shown in brown and blue, respectively. The Food and Drug Administration’s recent approval of new Alzheimer’s drugs sparked a flicker of hope for the millions affected by this devastating disease. Eli Lilly’s stock price jumped 6.7% after it announced positive results …

Alzheimer's drug gets FDA panel's backing, setting the stage for broader use
1 year, 6 months ago

Alzheimer's drug gets FDA panel's backing, setting the stage for broader use

The Hindu  

Health advisers on Friday unanimously backed the full approval of a closely watched Alzheimer’s drug, a key step toward opening insurance coverage to U.S. seniors with early stages of the brain-robbing disease. The FDA panel of outside advisers voted 6-0 that a large company study confirmed the drug's benefits for patients with mild or early Alzheimer's. The FDA’s initial OK …

Alzheimer’s drug gets FDA panel’s backing, setting the stage for broader use
1 year, 6 months ago

Alzheimer’s drug gets FDA panel’s backing, setting the stage for broader use

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Health advisers on Friday unanimously backed the full approval of a closely watched Alzheimer’s drug, a key step toward opening insurance coverage to U.S. seniors with early stages of the brain-robbing disease. The FDA panel of outside advisers voted 6-0 that a large company study confirmed the drug’s benefits for patients with mild or early Alzheimer’s. The FDA’s …

Breakthrough Alzheimer’s drugs could be blocked by NHS, campaigners warn
1 year, 6 months ago

Breakthrough Alzheimer’s drugs could be blocked by NHS, campaigners warn

The Telegraph  

The first drugs to slow dementia could be denied to NHS patients because of rationing, campaigners and health experts have warned. Recent weeks have seen breakthroughs in Alzheimer’s research, sparking hopes of “the beginning of the end” of the disease, but the UK’s leading dementia charity fears the drugs will be blocked by NHS rationing bodies. Alzheimer’s Research UK has …

Why a new Alzheimer’s drug is having a slow US debut
1 year, 10 months ago

Why a new Alzheimer’s drug is having a slow US debut

Associated Press  

The first drug to show that it slows Alzheimer’s is on sale, but treatment for most patients is still several months away. Eisai spokeswoman Libby Holman said prescriptions for the drug have been written, and they expect patients to start receiving it “very soon.” COST AND COVERAGE A year’s treatment will run about $26,500. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid …

EXPLAINER: New drug slows Alzheimer’s but comes with caveats
1 year, 11 months ago

EXPLAINER: New drug slows Alzheimer’s but comes with caveats

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — A new Alzheimer’s drug is hitting the market — the first with clear-cut evidence that it can slow, by several months, the mind-robbing disease. In Eisai’s 18-month study of nearly 1,800 people, Leqembi appeared to delay early-stage patients from getting worse by about five months. People who got the drug still worsened but not as rapidly as those …

US: FDA approves anti-Alzheimer's drug
1 year, 11 months ago

US: FDA approves anti-Alzheimer's drug

Hindustan Times  

The US Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved a new drug designed to slow cognitive decline in those suffering from Alzheimer's disease. It follows the approval of the anti-Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm, which a US congressional investigation criticized for alleged "irregularities." The FDA said in a statement that Leqembi and Aduhelm represent "an important advancement in the ongoing fight to …

US approves Alzheimer’s drug that modestly slows disease
1 year, 11 months ago

US approves Alzheimer’s drug that modestly slows disease

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — U.S. health officials on Friday approved a closely watched Alzheimer’s drug that’s been shown to modestly slow the early stages of the brain-robbing disease, albeit with potential safety risks that doctors and patients will have to carefully weigh. Last week, a congressional report found that FDA’s approval of a similar Alzheimer’s drug called Aduhelm — also from Biogen …

U.S. approves Alzheimer’s drug that modestly slows disease
1 year, 11 months ago

U.S. approves Alzheimer’s drug that modestly slows disease

LA Times  

This Dec. 21, 2022 image provided by Eisai in January 2023, shows vials and packaging for their medication Leqembi. U.S. health officials on Friday approved a closely watched Alzheimer’s drug that modestly slows the brain-robbing disease, albeit with potential safety risks that patients and their doctors will have to carefully weigh. Last week, a congressional report found that FDA’s approval …

Alzheimer’s drug approval by FDA ‘rife with irregularities,’ probe finds
1 year, 11 months ago

Alzheimer’s drug approval by FDA ‘rife with irregularities,’ probe finds

LA Times  

The FDA’s contentious approval of the questionable Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm took another hit, as congressional investigators called the process “rife with irregularities.” The Food and Drug Administration’s contentious approval of a questionable Alzheimer’s drug took another hit Thursday as congressional investigators called the process “rife with irregularities.” The 18-month investigation by two House committees detailed “atypical collaboration” between FDA regulators …

New drug appears to slow Alzheimer’s, but can it make a real difference?
2 years ago

New drug appears to slow Alzheimer’s, but can it make a real difference?

LA Times  

An experimental Alzheimer’s drug modestly slowed the brain disease’s inevitable worsening, researchers reported Tuesday — but it remains unclear how much difference that might make in people’s lives. Japanese drugmaker Eisai and its U.S. partner, Biogen, had announced earlier this fall that the drug, lecanemab, appeared to work, a badly needed bright spot after repeated disappointments in the quest for …

Medicare recipients to see premium cut — but not until 2023
2 years, 6 months ago

Medicare recipients to see premium cut — but not until 2023

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Medicare recipients will get a premium reduction — but not until next year — reflecting what Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said Friday was an overestimate in costs of covering an expensive and controversial new Alzheimer’s drug. Becerra’s statement said the 2022 premium should be adjusted downward but legal and operational hurdles prevented officials from doing …

Change at the top for Biogen after Alzheimer’s drug flops
2 years, 7 months ago

Change at the top for Biogen after Alzheimer’s drug flops

Associated Press  

Biogen will replace its CEO and largely abandon marketing of its controversial Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm less than a year after the medication’s launch triggered a backlash from experts, doctors and insurers. For now, Biogen said it is “substantially eliminating” spending on Aduhelm as part of a $1 billion dollar cost-saving plan designed to refocus the company’s flagging biotech business. Aduhelm …

Medicare limits coverage of $28,000-a-year Alzheimer’s drug
2 years, 11 months ago

Medicare limits coverage of $28,000-a-year Alzheimer’s drug

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Medicare said Tuesday it will limit coverage of a $28,000-a-year Alzheimer’s drug whose benefits have been widely questioned, a major development in the nation’s tug-of-war over the fair value of new medicines that offer tantalizing possibilities but come with prohibitive prices. “CMS has been and remains committed to providing the American public with a clear, trusted, evidence-based decision …

Medicare limits coverage of $28,000-a-year Alzheimer’s drug
2 years, 11 months ago

Medicare limits coverage of $28,000-a-year Alzheimer’s drug

LA Times  

Medicare said Tuesday it will limit coverage of a $28,000-a-year Alzheimer’s drug whose benefits have been widely questioned, a major development in the nation’s tug-of-war over the fair value of new medicines that offer tantalizing possibilities but come with prohibitive prices. “Alzheimer’s disease is a devastating illness that has touched the lives of millions of American families,” Medicare administrator Chiquita …

Sanders to Biden: Cut back looming Medicare premium hike
3 years ago

Sanders to Biden: Cut back looming Medicare premium hike

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Sen. Bernie Sanders is asking the White House to cut back a big Medicare premium hike set to take effect in weeks and tied to a pricey Alzheimer’s drug whose benefits have been widely questioned. In a letter Friday to President Joe Biden, the Vermont Independent called on the president to act immediately to prevent the portion of …

Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm is a key factor driving up Medicare premiums
3 years, 1 month ago

Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm is a key factor driving up Medicare premiums

CNN  

CNN — When the US Food and Drug Administration approved a costly new drug for Alzheimer’s disease, Aduhelm, earlier this year, experts warned that all of Medicare’s more than 63 million enrollees could wind up paying the price. “This does show how just one drug could have a major impact on spending and premiums,” said Tricia Neuman, executive director of …

Column: How the FDA’s lousy judgment and a greedy drug company combined to hit Medicare members hard
3 years, 1 month ago

Column: How the FDA’s lousy judgment and a greedy drug company combined to hit Medicare members hard

LA Times  

The fallout from the Food and Drug Administration’s hasty approval of a new Alzheimer’s drug in June was predicted to be severe: Excessive pricing for a drug lacking strong evidence of effectiveness would impose heavy costs on the healthcare system nationwide, especially on Medicare. The coverage determination process is still underway, but Medicare officials said they’re duty-bound to “plan for …

Aduhelm: The hard math on the new $56,000 Alzheimer’s drug
3 years, 5 months ago

Aduhelm: The hard math on the new $56,000 Alzheimer’s drug

CNN  

A version of this story appeared in CNN’s What Matters newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here CNN — The new Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm costs $56,000 per person, per year – so much that it would affect the economics of Medicare. “In all studies in which it was evaluated, however, Aduhelm consistently and very convincingly …

FDA trims use of contentious Alzheimer’s drug amid backlash
3 years, 5 months ago

FDA trims use of contentious Alzheimer’s drug amid backlash

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — A month after approving a controversial new Alzheimer’s drug, U.S. health regulators on Thursday signed off on new prescribing instructions that are likely to limit its use. When the drug was first approved, a top FDA official told reporters the drug was “relevant to all stages of Alzheimer’s disease.” The FDA’s OK last month quickly sparked controversy over …

Does new Alzheimer’s drug work? Answers may miss 2030 target
3 years, 5 months ago

Does new Alzheimer’s drug work? Answers may miss 2030 target

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — When a controversial Alzheimer’s drug won U.S. approval, surprise over the decision quickly turned to shock at how long it might take to find out if it really works — nine years. “We think nine years is unacceptable and our expectation is that it will happen in a much shorter time frame,” said Maria Carrillo of the Alzheimer’s …

Opinion: New Alzheimer’s drug sets dangerous precedent
3 years, 6 months ago

Opinion: New Alzheimer’s drug sets dangerous precedent

CNN  

Editor’s Note: Reshma Ramachandran, MD, MPP is a physician-fellow at the National Clinician Scholars Program at the Yale School of Medicine whose research and policy work centers on the realignment of incentives to ensure patients access to affordable, effective, and safe treatment. CNN — Last week, the US Food and Drug Administration approved aducanumab as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease …

Column: The FDA’s hasty approval of a new Alzheimer’s drug is looking worse than ever
3 years, 6 months ago

Column: The FDA’s hasty approval of a new Alzheimer’s drug is looking worse than ever

LA Times  

Following a year in which the Food and Drug Administration meekly allowed President Trump to denigrate its integrity and undermine its judgment, it wasn’t clear that the agency could fall even lower in public and professional esteem. The FDA’s widely criticized decision on June 7 to approve the new Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm despite a nearly complete absence of evidence that …

Why The FDA's Approval Of A New Alzheimer's Drug Should Worry You
3 years, 6 months ago

Why The FDA's Approval Of A New Alzheimer's Drug Should Worry You

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING You might expect Mariah Robertson to applaud last week’s approval of a new drug for Alzheimer’s disease. In the meantime, the Aduhelm decision could set a precedent for how the FDA approaches other treatments ― an “enormously risky move,” as STAT writer Matthew Herper put it, “that could accelerate the public’s access to medicines but upend the …

Medicare copays for new Alzheimer’s drug could reach $11,500
3 years, 6 months ago

Medicare copays for new Alzheimer’s drug could reach $11,500

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — A new $56,000-a-year Alzheimer’s drug would raise Medicare premiums broadly, and some patients who are prescribed the medication could face copayments of about $11,500 annually, according to a research report published Thursday. “At this price, the cost of this one drug alone could top all others covered by Medicare, if it is used widely,” said Tricia Neuman, coauthor …

Medicare Copays For New Alzheimer's Drug Could Reach $11,500 Annually
3 years, 6 months ago

Medicare Copays For New Alzheimer's Drug Could Reach $11,500 Annually

NPR  

Medicare Copays For New Alzheimer's Drug Could Reach $11,500 Annually Enlarge this image toggle caption Biogen via AP Biogen via AP WASHINGTON — A new $56,000-a-year Alzheimer's drug would raise Medicare premiums broadly, and some patients who are prescribed the medication could face copayments of about $11,500 annually, according to a research report published Thursday. "At this price, the cost …

EXPLAINER: How will insurers cover a new Alzheimer’s drug?
3 years, 6 months ago

EXPLAINER: How will insurers cover a new Alzheimer’s drug?

Associated Press  

Federal regulators have approved the first new drug for Alzheimer’s disease in nearly 20 years, leaving patients waiting to see how insurers will handle the pricey new treatment. The Food and Drug Administration said it granted approval to a drug from Biogen based on clinical research results that seemed “reasonably likely” to benefit Alzheimer’s patients. Patients with Medicare Advantage coverage, …

FDA approves much-debated Alzheimer’s drug panned by experts
3 years, 6 months ago

FDA approves much-debated Alzheimer’s drug panned by experts

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Government health officials on Monday approved the first new drug for Alzheimer’s disease in nearly 20 years, disregarding warnings from independent advisers that the much-debated treatment hasn’t been shown to help slow the brain-destroying disease. The Food and Drug Administration approved the drug from Biogen based on study results showing it seemed “reasonably likely” to benefit Alzheimer’s patients. …

US Approves First New Alzheimer's Drug in Almost Two Decades
3 years, 6 months ago

US Approves First New Alzheimer's Drug in Almost Two Decades

News 18  

The United States on Monday approved a drug called Aduhelm to treat patients with Alzheimer’s, the first new medicine against the disease in almost two decades and the first to address cognitive decline linked to the condition. The decision was highly anticipated but also contentious, because an independent expert panel convened by the regulatory Food and Drug Administration last November …

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