Tucked beneath Tuesday’s splashier news that the Biden administration wants Medicare to cover blockbuster drugs for obesity was a smattering of less colorful, yet potentially impactful ideas for improving private Medicare plans.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ proposed rule suggests technical and policy changes to Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans, which cover prescription drugs, for 2026. The incoming Trump administration will have the ultimate say over what proposals are finalized, and which ones get scrapped.
More than half of people on Medicare, the program for older adults and people with disabilities, are now enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans, but government watchdogs and others consistently find that they deny necessary care and collect billions in dubious payments every year. The plan rolled out Tuesday seeks to tackle everything from the use of artificial intelligence to misleading marketing to coverage barriers and inaccurate provider directories.
This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers
Unlock this article — plus daily market-moving biopharma analysis — by subscribing to STAT+.
Already have an account? Log in
