Medicare price negotiation for Part B oncology drugs will have ramifications across Medicare and commercial insurance markets because of the way that reimbursement works for physician-administered drugs, experts predicted at the Association of Value-Based Cancer Care educational summit on 18 October.
Underwater: Medicare Negotiated Prices For Part B Cancer Drugs Could Change Prescribing
Anticipation that reimbursement for significantly discounted Keytruda and Opdivo won’t keep them afloat will influence treatment decisions by oncology providers, officials predict.

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As CMS administrator, Mehmet Oz will oversee the second cycle of Medicare drug price negotiations and Part D redesign issues, but will have experienced deputies to help.
Calley Means defended reductions in force at the Health and Human Services Department that shocked and outraged federal workers and stakeholders.
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About 3,500 full-time FDA employees are expected to be laid off as part of a restructuring of the Health and Human Services Department and experts questioned whether the cuts could be implemented without harming FDA’s core mission.
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A Republican think tank suggested variations of the Most Favored Nation and international reference policies in Medicare and Medicaid, as well as tariffs and other trade levers to rebalance drug pricing disparities between US countries and abroad.
Democrats opposed the nomination because they believe Mehmet Oz will not defend Medicaid from spending cuts. His pledge to continue lowering drug costs in Medicare and Medicaid did not offset the concerns.
An analysis of Medicare Part D and other data found that more than one-third of all pharmacy spending went through pharmacies owned by Cigna, CVS Health, Humana or UnitedHealth Group.