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Medicare Part B Premium Hike To Accommodate Alzheimer’s Drug Costs Is Premature – Sen. Wyden

 
• By Cathy Kelly

Unprecedented increase spotlights how drug costs could drain Medicare, but Senate Finance Committee chair, a prominent pricing critic, urges waiting until Alzheimer’s coverage policy comes out before raising premiums so high. Draft policy is on track for January release, CMS official says.

Wyden Agrees Aduhelm's Cost Too High But Doesn't Want Higher Premiums • Source: Alamy

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services should reduce its planned 14.5% Medicare Part B monthly premium increase for 2022 until it has a better idea of how much it will actually spend on Biogen, Inc./Eisai Co., Ltd.’s Aduhelm and similar Alzheimer’s drugs, according to Senate Finance Committee chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore.

CMS announced the unprecedented increase in November, explaining that about half of the premium hike will go toward setting up a contingency fund to help pay for the Alzheimer’s drugs....

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