Medicare told to reassess premium hike for Alzheimer's drug

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https://apnews.com/article/business-health-seniors-xavier-becerra-medication-ae5477248a0ac3df79022cc77993cee0

Medicare told to reassess premium hike for Alzheimer’s drug
By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR

...

[U.S. health secretary Xavier] Becerra’s directive came days after drugmaker Biogen slashed the price of its $56,000-a-year medication, Aduhelm, to $28,200 a year — a cut of about half.

More than 50 million Medicare recipients who pay the $170.10 monthly “Part B” premium for outpatient care will see no immediate change to their costs, but Monday’s move could open the way for a reduction later in the year. The Department of Health and Human Services says it is reaching out to the Social Security Administration, which collects the premium, to examine options.

Becerra’s move came after prominent Democratic senators urged the Biden administration to take immediate steps to cut rising drug costs for seniors. Much bigger curbs on drug prices promised by Democrats are hung up in Congress along with the rest of President Joe Biden’s massive social agenda legislation. That bill would cap at $2,000 a year the amount Medicare recipients have to pay out-of-pocket for medicines, require drugmakers to pay the government rebates if they hike prices faster than inflation, and authorize Medicare to negotiate prices for certain medications.

In announcing the price cut just days before the Christmas holidays, Biogen acknowledged the high cost had become a stumbling block to uptake for its medication.