US Senators Call for Expansion of Medicare Coverage for Amyloid Alzheimer’s Treatments

Following the controversial approval of the Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm, the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) agreed to only pay for drugs in its class, amyloid-targeted therapies, when used in patients enrolled in clinical trials. A group of Senators have penned a letter to Xavier Becerra, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHS) and the CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-Lasure.

According to Paige Minemyer, “In it, the legislators said they’re echoing calls from patient advocates as well as the Alzheimer’s Association to make it easier for people with the disease to access monoclonal antibody drugs that target amyloid. They warn that delays could prevent patients from seeing the benefits associated with these therapies.”

To read more, click here.

(Source: Fierce Healthcare, February 22^nd, 2023)