Medicare Limits Coverage of Alzheimer’s Drug Aduhelm to People in Clinical Trials
Medicare will no longer provide coverage of the new Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm (aducanumab) except for people who are enrolled in clinical trials of the drug, according to a statement issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The decision finalizes a policy proposal first announced by CMS in January.This is an unusual move by the U.S. government health plan, as it’s the first time the agency has limited Medicare beneficiaries’ access to a drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), at least for the approved medical conditions, according to a New York Times report.Alzheimer’s disease affects about six million Americans, according to the National Institute on Aging, and most of them are age 65 or older, the age when people are eligible for the government insurance plan. It’s estimated…