Juliette Cubanski

@xpostfactoid Yes. Unclear whether Trump’s new leaders at the health agency will drive a hard bargain in the negotiation process or adopt a more industry-friendly stance - in addition to overall uncertainty around how the incoming administration will proceed with the negotiation program.

@jcubanski or whether they'll negotiate drug prices.

🚨 Round 2 of Medicare's drug price negotiation program just kicked off with the popular diabetes and obesity drugs Ozempic and Wegovy at the top of the list of selected drugs. kff.org/quick-take/why…

The outgoing Biden administration has proposed this change to allow Medicare to cover anti-obesity drugs, but we don’t know yet whether the incoming Trump administration will decide to finalize this proposal.

Medicare price negotiation could play a key role in increasing affordability and access to these drugs. This matters not just for those currently using these drugs, but who would in the future if Medicare coverage expands to cover obesity drugs, which is currently prohibited.

@larry_levitt @KFF lol

I asked ChatGPT to design an infographic explaining how Medicare works. I don't think it's ready to put our @KFF experts out of work. (I will say that Medicare has indeed gotten quite complicated, but not as incomprehensible as this infographic would suggest.)

Our newly updated FAQs address several questions related to Medicare’s new drug price negotiation program and details related to implementation for 2026: kff.org/medicare/issue…

If spending on Leqembi ranks it among other top-selling physician-administered drugs, it could eventually qualify for negotiation under Medicare’s new drug price negotiation program – but not until 2036 at the earliest – 13 years after FDA approval. kff.org/medicare/issue…

At the same time, broader coverage will lead to higher Medicare spending, though how much higher will depend on how many Alzheimer’s patients actually take the drug, a big unknown at this time. kff.org/policy-watch/n…

The FDA has granted full approval to a new Alzheimer’s drug, Leqembi, leading to broader coverage under Medicare. This is good news for Alzheimer’s patients, since without coverage, patients would face the full list price, currently set at $26,500.

2) Stemming from the #InflationReductionAct provision requiring drug companies pay a rebate to Medicare if drug prices increase faster than inflation, @CMSgov announced that coinsurance on 43 Medicare Part B drugs would be reduced in the next quarter #bullet02" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">kff.org/medicare/issue…

Broader coverage of this drug under Medicare would increase access for a subset of the 6.7 million people in the US with Alzheimer’s disease, but also raises cost concerns in light of the drug’s $26,500 list price

Big day in Medicare drug policy news related to 1) the new Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi, and 2) implementation of the drug rebate provision in the #InflationReductionAct

Although the #COVID19 public health emergency officially ended yesterday, several health-related flexibilities triggered by the PHE and other regulatory actions remain in place. Our timeline tracks these flexibilities and their end dates. kff.org/coronavirus-co…

In just a few hours, at 11:59pm, the #COVID19 public health emergency in the U.S. will end, bringing with it the end to several flexibilities and pandemic provisions. Here's our timeline of what ends when, w/@jcubanski @cynthiaccox, jen_tolbert. kff.org/coronavirus-co…

And at the end of 2024, Medicare's expanded coverage of telehealth will end, unless Congress provides for a further extension.

2024 will bring another round of expiring flexibilities and requirements, including: - the end of hospital COVID-19 data reporting requirements - the end of the requirement for coverage of at-home COVID tests for free under Medicaid

At 11:59pm this Thursday, May 11, the #COVID19 public health emergency will end and along with it a whole host of flexibilities, many in place for 3+ years. Our @KFF timeline tracks what's ending and when w/@jenkatesdc @cynthiaccox and Jen Tolbert kff.org/coronavirus-co…