Medicare

Elizabeth Hernandez, 45, routinely billed more than 24 hours of “office visits” in a day and pocketed about $1.6 million, federal prosecutors said.

Before COVID, hepatitis C held the distinction of claiming more American lives each year than any other infectious disease — that’s despite the marketing of several relatively affordable, highly effective treatments.

For the first time, Medicare will negotiate the prices of 10 common medicines. Dr. Meena Seshamani, with the Center for Medicare at CMS, and Brian Brito, VP of pharmacy at CareMax, talk about the process.

The Biden administration unveiled the first 10 drugs subject to price negotiations, taking a swipe at the pharmaceutical industry. But what does it mean for patients?

The government will negotiate new prices for the commonly prescribed drugs, but the cuts won't take effect until 2026. In the meantime, drug-makers are fighting the negotiations with lawsuits.

The federal government is proposing having Medicare pay professionals to train family caregivers how to perform tasks like bathing and dressing their loved ones, and properly use medical equipment.

A new report by AARP found that the top 25 drugs — covered under Medicare Part D — have almost tripled in price since they first entered the market.

Insurers selling coverage in North Carolina, Pennsylvania and New York, among other states, say they won’t cover Leqembi with insurance offered on the individual market and through employers because they see the $26,000-a-year drug as experimental.

Novo Nordisk focuses on Black lawmakers and opinion leaders to spread the message that obesity is a chronic disease — worth treating at a cost of $1,000 or more a month.

The multiyear agreement was reached just before the deadline. According to UnitedHealthcare, negotiations stalled due to a disagreement over Medicare Advantage and Medicaid contracts.