Proposal for evidence-based Medicare CAR-T coverage

The arrival of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies is among the most exciting advances in innovative medicines in recent years, but with the development and manufacturing costs involved, they are also among the most expensive.

Currently, there is no national Medicare policy for covering this new type of cancer drug, so local Medicare Administrative Contractors have discretion over whether to pay for it.

But the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed to cover approved CAR T-cell therapy under Coverage with Evidence Development (CED).