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What We’re Reading: FDA Approves Biogen’s ALS Drug; Medicaid Work Requirements; VA Coverage Expansion
FDA accelerates approval of drug for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); hundreds of thousands could lose Medicaid coverage under Republican debt bill including work requirements; the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reports that half a million veterans have filed claims for health benefits related to toxic exposures.
FDA Approves Biogen’s Drug for Rare Genetic Form of ALS
The FDA has granted accelerated approval to Biogen's injectable drug for a rare genetic form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to the Associated Press. The drug, tofersen (Qalsody), is the first for an inherited form of ALS that is thought to affect fewer than 500 individuals in the United States. Although Biogen's 100-person study failed to demonstrate significant slowing of the disease compared with a placebo, the FDA said the findings were "reasonably likely to predict a clinical benefit in patients." Biogen must continue studying tofersen in a trial of individuals with the genetic mutation but not yet showing symptoms.
Medicaid Work Requirements Would Cause 600,000 to Lose Coverage
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 600,000 people would lose Medicaid coverage under the House Republican debt bill, which would impose work requirements, according to Axios. The proposal would require Medicaid recipients to work 80 hours a month and would save the federal government $109 billion over a decade. However, opponents argue that even those who comply with the requirement could still lose coverage due to burdensome reporting processes, and the Biden administration estimates that 21 million people subject to the work requirement are at risk of losing coverage.
Half a Million Veterans File Claims for Toxic Exposure Benefits
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has reported that half a million veterans have filed claims for benefits related to toxic exposures while serving, according to The Wall Street Journal. The PACT Act, passed last summer, gave veterans access to benefits and health care coverage after exposure to burn pits, radioactive material, herbicides, and other toxins. The VA has awarded more than $1 billion in benefits to veterans and survivors who filed PACT Act–related claims, with the agency also screening 3 million veterans for toxic exposure.
The Impact of Cost Sharing on High-Value Care
March 14th 2025Michael Chernew, PhD, professor of health care policy and director of the Healthcare Markets and Regulation Lab, Harvard Medical School, shares how cost-sharing policies shape access to critical health care services and influence value-based insurance design.
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Varied Access: The Pharmacogenetic Testing Coverage Divide
February 18th 2025On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with the author of a study published in the February 2025 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® to uncover significant differences in coverage decisions for pharmacogenetic tests across major US health insurers.
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PAH Treatment Benefits Extend to Patients With Repaired Congenital Heart Disease
March 14th 2025Historical data show the prevalence of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in adult patients with congenital heart disease ranges from 4% to 28%, according to studies from the US and Europe—and that the prevalence of these comorbid condition is on the rise.
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Regenerating Neurons, Muscle, and Hope in the Field of Muscular Dystrophy
March 13th 2025The 2025 Muscular Dystrophy Association Clinical & Scientific Conference, convening in Dallas, Texas, from March 16-18, will feature clinical updates, expert insights, and breaking trial findings that sum up to a new frontier of care for neuromuscular diseases.
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