$170.10
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I saw another story that indicated that a large part of the increase is due to a new Alzheimer's drug.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/12/health/medicare-premium-hike/index.html
CMS said part of the increase for 2022 was because of uncertainty over how much the agency will end up paying to treat beneficiaries to be treated with Aduhelm, an Alzheimer's drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in June over the objections of its advisers. Some experts estimate it will cost $56,000 a year. Medicare is deciding whether to pay for it now on a case-by-case basis.
Because Aduhelm is administered in physicians' offices, it should be covered under Medicare Part B, not Part D plans, which pay for medications bought at pharmacies. Traditional Medicare enrollees have to pick up 20% of the cost of most Part B medications, which would translate into about $11,500 in out-of-pocket costs for those prescribed Aduhelm. -
The whole approval process for that drug was tainted. They did not, as is customary, adopt the recommendation of the examining agencies, which was to not approve it. It was not proven to have significant benefit.
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The whole approval process for that drug was tainted. They did not, as is customary, adopt the recommendation of the examining agencies, which was to not approve it. It was not proven to have significant benefit.
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Re the OP, this will be less noticeable given the 5.6% increase in SSA.
On the other topic, I was dumbfounded by the Alzheimer’s drug approval. They are often too conservative on approvals and then they do this. The criticism will likely cause them to turn the screws even more on the normal process.
(I say that while we’re trying very hard to convince them to approve a new clinical endpoint for lung trials and are getting all sorts of pushback despite the loads of evidence we’ve presented.)
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I know. But the Part D savings offset the Part B increase, which is good. Deductible for B is going up $30 too.
The thing is it's all speculative. CMS has not yet determined whether or when they will cover Aduhelm.
The increases in the 2022 Medicare Part B premium and deductible are due to:
Rising prices and utilization across the health care system that drive higher premiums year-over-year alongside anticipated increases in the intensity of care provided.
Congressional action to significantly lower the increase in the 2021 Medicare Part B premium, which resulted in the $3.00 per beneficiary per month increase in the Medicare Part B premium (that would have ended in 2021) being continued through 2025.
Additional contingency reserves due to the uncertainty regarding the potential use of the Alzheimer’s drug, Aduhelm
, by people with Medicare. In July 2021, CMS began a National Coverage Determination analysis process to determine whether and how Medicare will cover Aduhelm and similar drugs used to treat Alzheimer’s disease. As that process is still underway, there is uncertainty regarding the coverage and use of such drugs by Medicare beneficiaries in 2022. While the outcome of the coverage determination is unknown, our projection in no way implies what the coverage determination will be, however, we must plan for the possibility of coverage for this high cost Alzheimer’s drug which could, if covered, result in significantly higher expenditures for the Medicare program.
