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More Like Untouchable? US Medicare ‘Protected Classes’ Stay Protected – Again

 
• By Michael McCaughan

A decision made more than 15 years ago by CMS to require drug insurance plans to cover all drugs for six specific diseases has proven impervious to change. But will the protected classes remain if Part D is reformed more broadly?

• Source: Shutterstock

The US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is once again backing off a proposal that would have changed the “protected” status of some classes of medicines in the Part D prescription drug benefit.

On March 16, the agency told Part D sponsors that it would not, after all, be making any changes to...

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