Underwater: Medicare Negotiated Prices For Part B Cancer Drugs Could Change Prescribing

Anticipation that reimbursement for significantly discounted Keytruda and Opdivo won’t keep them afloat will influence treatment decisions by oncology providers, officials predict.

Oncology Practices Worry Reimbursement Won't Cover Costs • Source: Shutterstock

Medicare price negotiation for Part B oncology drugs will have ramifications across Medicare and commercial insurance markets because of the way that reimbursement works for physician-administered drugs, experts predicted at the Association of Value-Based Cancer Care educational summit on 18 October.

Practices are already thinking about shifting prescribing to a non-negotiated therapeutic equivalents or referring patients to hospitals for treatment if...

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CMS Should ‘Clarify’ That Part B Inflation Rebates Do Not Apply In Medicare Advantage, Pharma Urges

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is considering imposing price inflation rebates on Part B drugs furnished to enrollees in Medicare Advantage plans in addition to those covered by fee-for-service Medicare.

PS-MarketAccess (Premium-2): Why Financial Scammers Are So Successful Targeting Doctors

 
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US lawmakers will undoubtedly continue to work on pharmacy benefit manager reform legislation in 2025, given its bipartisan support. But policies impacting rebates that could lead to higher premiums in Part D may be a tough sell in the midst of the benefit redesign.

Accelerated Approvals In Medicare: CED Guidance Notes Ongoing Concern With Surrogate Endpoints

 
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Medicare coverage with evidence development final guidance includes few substantive changes from the proposed version despite biopharma stakeholder concerns.

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PBMs and Vertical Integration: CBO Adds To Growing Concerns About Negative Impacts

 

Congressional Budget Office responses to questions from US lawmakers on pharmacy benefit managers could add to the momentum for PBM reforms to go further than the current leading proposals.

Pink Sheet Podcast: What We Learned From The First Batch Of Medicare Negotiated Drug Prices

 

Pink Sheet reporter and editors discuss the take-aways from the landmark first Medicare negotiated drug prices and what additional information remains outstanding.

A Better Deal: Medicare Discounts Surpass Estimated PBM-Negotiated Rebates

 
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But the amount of savings realized when the Medicare negotiated prices go into effect in 2026 remains the subject of debate.