HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. Photo: Greg Nash-Pool/Getty Images
Because Biogen lowered the price of Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm by 50%, the federal government should "reassess" the large pending increase on Medicare's 2022 premiums that cover physician and outpatient care, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement today.
Why it matters: The historically high Medicare premium hike, during a midterm election year, was due in large part to Aduhelm's high price tag.
- But now Becerra is asking Medicare to consider lowering the premium increase, just days before Medicare also is supposed to give a preliminary decision about whether Aduhelm's questionable clinical evidence justifies coverage at all.