Medicare weighs premium cut after limiting Alzheimer's drug
Medicare said Thursday it's considering a cut in enrollee premiums, after officials stuck with an earlier decision to sharply limit coverage for a pricey new Alzheimer's drug projected to drive up program costs. The agency “is looking at that, and is still going through the process,” spokeswoman Beth Lynk said of a potential reduction in premiums, as Medicare announced its final coverage decision for Aduhelm, a drug whose benefits have been widely questioned in the medical community. Officials said Medicare will keep coverage restrictions imposed earlier on the $28,000-a-year medication, paying for Aduhelm only when it's used in clinical trials approved by the Food and Drug Administration or the National Institutes of Health.
news.yahoo.comMedicare to repeal medical device rule pushed by Trump administration
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is proposing to kill a regulation the agency finalized earlier this year under the Trump administration that would have required Medicare to pay for any medical device deemed as a "breakthrough" by the FDA.Driving the news: After receiving public feedback, CMS determined the rule was "not in the best interest of Medicare beneficiaries because the rule may provide coverage without adequate evidence that the breakthrough device would be a reasonable and
news.yahoo.comCrush of Obamacare signups expected before deadline
Tuesday is the last day to sign up for Obamacare in 36 states, while another 14 and Washington, D.C. have later dates. The federal health insurance program — accessible at healthcare.gov — has seen a crush of signups as the open enrollment deadline approaches, and coronavirus cases continue to surge. Mr. Trump campaigned on "repealing and replacing" Obamacare during the 2016 election, and kept on message, albeit unsuccessfully, throughout his presidency. That argument, however, has not exactly been met with a warm reception by the conservative majority on the Supreme Court. Becerra was a leading advocate for passage of the ACA as California's attorney general, and has defended the law in federal court, including before the Supreme Court.
cbsnews.comAsk 2: When the COVID-19 vaccine is released to the public, how much is going to cost and who is going to pay for it?
As part of our Ask 2 series, the newsroom will answer your questions about all things Houston. Question: When the COVID-19 vaccine is released to the public, how much is going to cost and who is going to pay for it? Answer: Recent reports offer hope that the coronavirus vaccine will be widely available at no additional cost in the United States. Under the Trump Administration, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is taking steps to ensure all Americans have access to the COVID-19 vaccine at no cost when it becomes available, its website states. “Under President Trump’s leadership, we have developed a comprehensive plan to support the swift and successful distribution of a safe and effective vaccine for COVID-19,” CMS Administrator Seema Verma said.
Trump admin to try letting states limit Medicaid benefits
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Trump administration on Thursday said it will test allowing state Medicaid programs to limit health benefits and prescription drug coverage for some patients in return for changing how federal government contributions to the states are made. Medicaid plans currently pay for most prescription drugs. The program is primarily targeted at the roughly one-fifth of Medicaid patients who received health coverage through the Affordable Care Acts (ACA) Medicaid expansion program since 2014, CMS Administrator Seema Verma said. This is an opportunity for states to have greater negotiating power with manufacturers, Verma said on a conference call with reporters. Evercore ISI analyst Michael Newshel said the program could be in violation of Federal law, which requires Medicaid funding to be open ended.
feeds.reuters.comTrump administration to try letting states limit Medicaid benefits
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Trump administration on Thursday said it would launch a pilot program that would allow states to limit health benefits for their Medicaid patients and negotiate drug prices on their behalf using an approach similar to commercial health plans. The administrations Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said states would have to opt into the Healthy Adult Opportunity program. It said participating states would be able to launch a formulary of covered drugs, which would allow them to negotiate to give drugmakers priority in the state in exchange for lower prices.
feeds.reuters.com