Drug Coverage

The multiple myeloma therapy now has a permanent J code under Medicare Part B.

All stakeholders together incur about $93.3 billion in costs for implementing, contesting, and navigating drug utilization management.

The potassium-lowering agent was associated with a 20% relative reduction in costs related to outpatient, inpatient, and emergency department visits.

Four products on the preferred list this year will be excluded next year.

The VA recommends against offering this agent to patients with Alzheimer’s dementia, mild or otherwise.

The program and proposed integrations could produce $15 million in savings annually.

The graft-versus-host disease therapy has also been added to NCCN Guidelines.

Previously patients administered as two, 75-mg shots. Now they can inject a single 150-mg dose.

Current drug shortages based on FDA data, prepared by Formulary Watch.

A single application targets the infection without entering the circulatory system.

The sickle cell disease therapy will now be on the Preferred Drug List.

Drugs that provide only incremental benefit may not be included on clinical pathways.

The findings were similar in people with or without diabetes.

Competition among branded products did not substantially curb annual spending increases.

A substantial discount would be needed to meet cost-effectiveness thresholds.

When Medicare D plans do provide coverage for first generics, they are often placed on non-generic tiers.

The June 30 approval meets an unmet need in this cancer.

The FDA had approved Kadmon's therapy for graft-versus-host disease July 16.

Wynzora is a cream-based, fixed dose combination of calcipotriene and betamethasone for topical treatment of psoriasis.

Eight out of 10 covered U.S. commercial lives now have access to the H. pylori therapy.

Several large payers are waiting on results from the National Coverage Determination.

After generic entry, Zytiga’s market share fell to about 14% and monthly net sales across the entire market fell 85%.

New analysis suggests that even with rebates, the new Alzheimer’s therapy could have implications for Medicaid drug spending.

A permanent code is expected in the third quarter of 2021.

The first generic equivalent of the HIV therapeutic is now available.