America's Health Insurance Plans supported CMS' preliminary guidance on covering Aduhelm, Biogen's Alzheimer's disease treatment, calling its decision "the right approach."
CMS announced the preliminary decision Jan. 11, which covers treatments for those involved in clinical trials — a move that looks to promote evidence-based coverage, according to CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure.
The decision FDA-approved Alzhimer's disease treatments using monoclonal antibodies that target amyloid — with Aduhelm being the only drug fitting that description.
AHIP's public comment on the decision agreed with CMS' stance that current trials have not proven Aduhelm demonstrates "any meaningful improvement in patient health outcomes."
"The proposed national coverage determination is the right approach for patients," AHIP said. "It would provide Medicare patients consistent and national access for this class of products and related services. And it would appropriately emphasize the need for sufficient clinical evidence to support future determinations of whether these drugs are both reasonable and necessary for the right populations within the program."