CMS proposes model to lower Rx drug costs for people with Medicare

Yesterday, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), released a Request for Information (RFI) and a sample list of prescription drugs that the agency preliminarily intends to include under the proposed Medicare $2 Drug List Model.

The list was developed in accordance with President Joe Biden’s Executive Order 14087, “Lowering Prescription Drug Costs for Americans”. Under the model, people enrolled in a participating Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D) plan would have access to these drugs for a low, fixed co-payment of no more than $2 for a month’s supply per drug. The model would provide individuals more certainty about the out-of-pocket costs for these generic covered Part D drugs that would target common conditions, such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure. CMS issued this RFI to support continued development of the model, the CMS claims.

“We want generic drugs for common chronic conditions to be affordable for people on Medicare.  Reliably low co-payments for essential generic drugs make it more likely that seniors and people with disabilities can afford the drugs they need to stay healthy,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra.