Biogen Drug Scrutiny Seen Adding Limits to Medicare Coverage (1)

Medicare will likely agree to cover Biogen Inc.‘s expensive new Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm in certain circumstances if patients agree to enroll in studies to bolster evidence of its effectiveness.

Health analysts said the administration’s decision to open a national coverage assessment of Aduhelm and other Alzheimer’s drugs targeting brain plaques linked to the disease is a way to ensure the drug is only going to those who could benefit from it.

“It’s highly unlikely that Medicare would issue a non-coverage decision here,” Sean Dickson, director of health policy at the West Health Policy Center, said in an email.

Limiting ...