Becerra orders Medicare to reconsider premium hike; federal agency uses offbeat characters to spread serious safety messages

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra took the highly unusual step after Biogen cut the price of its new Alzheimer's drug. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ 

Becerra orders Medicare to reconsider premium hike following price drop for Biogen's Aduhelm By Rachel Cohrs Al Drago-Pool/Getty Images Becerra took the highly unusual step of ordering Medicare to reconsider historic premium hikes after Biogen cut the price of Aduhelm. Read More Watch: How a government agency uses unicorns and singing dogs to spread serious safety messages By Hyacinth Empinado and Alissa Ambrose Hyacinth Empinado/STAT The agency has built a reputation for bizarre social media posts more characteristic of a meme account than a public health messenger. Read More STAT+: A looming decision on Medicare coverage for Biogen's Alzheimer's drug could shock state Medicaid programs By Ed Silverman APStock "There are a number of states where the budgetary impact becomes impossible," said Rachel Sachs of the Washington University Law School. Read More Sponsor content by STAT Events STAT@JPM: Will 2022 bring biotech renewal? Come explore what's happening in biotech, virtually, with STAT's Adam Feuerstein. On Jan. 11, he'll convene experts and reporters to discuss the need-to-know news from biotech's biggest confab, and ask what it all means for the year ahead. STAT+: Bayer to pay CRISPR-focused Mammoth Biosciences $40 million for gene editing research By Matthew Herper and Megan Molteni Adobe Bayer will pay Mammoth Biosciences $40 million to work on CRISPR-based gene-editing technologies in four different diseases. Read More STAT+: Biogen CEO: Company was 'wrong' about initial Aduhelm price, 'courageous' to lower it By Damian Garde and Adam Feuerstein Ruby Wallau for STAT CEO Michel Vounatsos added that the company's decision to later slash the cost of the Alzheimer's therapy nearly in half was “courageous." Read More For digital diabetes care, is more data always better? By Katie Palmer Monique Jaques for STAT A growing trove of data could help digital care companies determine the value of CGMs — both for patients and for their bottom lines. Read More STAT+: FDA removes clinical hold on cancer studies of Allogene off-the-shelf CAR-T treatment By Adam Feuerstein Alex Hogan/STAT In October, the FDA placed five Allogene studies on hold after a single treated patient was found to have a “chromosomal abnormality.” Read More STAT+: Sarepta's Duchenne gene therapy improves muscle function but debate lingers By Adam Feuerstein Ruby Wallau for STAT The magnitude of the benefit shown by Sarepta’s one-time treatment was nonetheless lower than some investors hoped to see. Read More Opinion: What the physician exodus means to medical students like me By Tricia Pendergrast Adobe Real investments in physicians-in-training have the power to halt the physician exodus and change the narrative that doctors are expendable. Read More Monday, January 10, 2022       1 Exchange Pl, Suite 201, Boston, MA 02109 ©2022, All Rights Reserved. I no longer wish to receive STAT emails Update Email Preferences | Contact Us | View In Browser