U.S. starts national Medicare coverage policy review for Biogen’s Aduhelm

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U.S. starts national Medicare coverage policy review for Biogen’s Aduhelm

(Reuters; 

July 12 (Reuters) – The U.S. government on Monday started a review process for national Medicare coverage of Biogen Inc’s (BIIB.O) Alzheimer’s drug, Aduhelm, that was recently approved by the country’s health regulator.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) expects to give a proposed decision within 6 months and a final decision within 9 months. (https://go.cms.gov/3hzMa6H)

Aduhelm is priced at $56,000 per year, which could represent significant spending for the government’s Medicare program for people aged 65 and older.

A sign marks a Biogen facility in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S. January 26, 2017. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo

Currently, coverage for the drug is determined at the local level by Medicare administrative contractors, who represent 12 jurisdictions across the country.

CMS’ coverage decisions are based on an analysis of the benefits of a given therapy to Medicare beneficiaries.

Reporting by Trisha Roy in Bengaluru and Caroline Humer in New York; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

 

Reuters source:

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-starts-review-national-medicare-coverage-policy-biogens-aduhelm-2021-07-12