Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Perspectives: CMS Is Protecting Us From Companies That Sell False Hopes
Detroit Free Press: Medicare Wisely Declines To Pay For Alzheimer's Drug
Last week the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) limited coverage of Aduhelm, Biogen’s Alzheimer’s drug, to administration only within clinical trials. This brilliant strategic move mitigates the damage caused by the FDA’s failure to protect the public from an ineffective drug. Canada declined to approve Aduhelm, as has the European Union. In the U.S., many prominent payers have already denied coverage for Aduhelm, including all Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans. The Department of Veterans Affairs has declined to put Aduhelm on its formulary. Kaiser Permanente, one of the largest health maintenance organization in the U.S., covers Aduhelm only with special approval. (Dave Stanke and Adriane Fugh-Berman, 1/19)
The Wall Street Journal: The Alzheimer’s Death Panel
President Biden says he wants to increase healthcare access. But this is hard to square with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ unprecedented proposal this month to restrict Medicare payment for a class of novel Alzheimer’s treatments. The CMS recommendation follows the controversy over Food and Drug Administration approval last summer of Biogen’s Alzheimer’s treatment Aduhelm. The monoclonal antibody clears amyloid plaque in the brain, a hallmark of the disease. It is the first treatment shown in clinical trials to slow Alzheimer’s progression. (1/23)
Also —
Tulsa World: Lawmakers Can Support Women During The Pandemic By Listening To Their Health Care Priorities
Move over, Jack. Women in America are the Jill of all trades; caregivers in households and leaders in the workforce. Yet, women were significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the road to recovery has been all but easy. When schools transitioned to virtual learning last year, many women had to put their careers on hold to educate their children at home and put even more focus on caring for their family’s wellbeing during a once-in-a-century pandemic. That has had significant impacts on the economy considering female entrepreneurs are the backbone of countless industries. (Candace Waterman, 1/24)
The New York Times: Searching For Pfizer’s Paxlovid Pills When Mom Got Covid
Just after 1 p.m. on Tuesday last week, my phone buzzed with a text message from my mother: “Well, came down with cold, aches, cough etc over wknd.” She had taken an at-home coronavirus test. It was positive. Having spent the past year writing about Covid-19 vaccines and treatments for The New York Times, I knew a lot about the options available to people like my mother. Yet I was about to go on a seven-hour odyssey that would show me there was a lot I didn’t grasp. (Rebecca Robbins, 1/19)
Newsweek: How Build Back Better Could Be Even Better
West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin recently announced he won't support the current version of the Build Back Better Act. When they heard the news, my fellow Democrats' reactions ranged from disappointment to rage at the thought of the most important legislation in decades not making it to President Joe Biden's desk. But they needn't fret. Senator Manchin is still talking with his colleagues, who are already adjusting the legislation to win his support. (Joe Crowley, 1/19)
