According to a recent NBC News article, the CMS will now cover the costs of new Alzheimer's drugs that receive full approval from the FDA. Previously, Medicare only covered these medications for patients enrolled in clinical trials. The change aims to help more Alzheimer's patients afford the newer drugs that have shown promise in slowing the progression of the disease.
Physicians prescribing the drugs will be required to collect data about the drug's real-world performance through a government registry, a requirement criticized by the Alzheimer's Association as an unnecessary barrier. Two drugs, Biogen's Aduhelm and Eisai's Leqembi, have been granted accelerated approval and are currently covered under Medicare for patients enrolled in clinical trials. The FDA advisory committee is set to vote on whether to recommend full approval for Leqembi on June 9.
