Medicare expects to spend $3.5 billion on the Alzheimer's treatment Leqembi in 2025 — well beyond what Wall Street or even the drug's manufacturer has projected. Read more from Rachel Cohrs Zhang and me: statnews.com/2024/04/11/med…

The exit of BIO's top lobbyist might be part of a larger shakeup under the trade group's new CEO John Crowley. By Rachel Cohrs Zhang and me. statnews.com/2024/04/10/bio…

The market is so dysfunctional that Boehringer Ingelheim already is laying off or relocating the sales force for its Humira biosimilar. statnews.com/2024/04/04/boe…

My suggested headline of “D*** Pic for Diagnosis” might have been rejected by the powers that be, but Lizzy Lawrence still has the most clickable (and terrifying) story in STAT history statnews.com/2024/04/02/heh…

Healthcare costs are running off the page. No really, Medicare's claims-processing system ran out of room so they had to add two digits. Hospitals and doctors can now file claims a penny shy of $100 m. statnews.com/2024/04/02/med…

From the rhetoric, you'd think generative AI had cured cancer or Alzheimer's.

It hasn't.

It's showed, in proof of concept, that it might save health care businesses some time and money.

Does that make it revolutionary?

via STAT:

statnews.com/2024/03/25/nvi… via STAT

CBO shared thoughts on predicting the cost to Medicare of covering obesity drugs. Among them, Medicare will likely choose Wegovy for price negotiation within a few years. statnews.com/2024/03/20/weg…

Great news: STAT has an opportunity to work with me.

Seriously, though, we're on the lookout for a top-notch editor to oversee our business and policy teams. It's a terrific gig. Details here: statnews.com/careers/health…

A federal judge today heard a quadruple oral argument against Medicare drug price negotiation. Rachel Cohrs Zhang had the nearly impossible job of writing about it. statnews.com/2024/03/07/med…

A Senate panel added an appeals process to its bill aimed at preventing US biotechs from doing business with Chinese “companies of concern.” But the four companies named in the bill, including WuXi, would not be able to seek redress. statnews.com/2024/03/06/chi…

Nick speaks from experience. And yes, Lev Facher did an impressive job on this investigation.

China hawks have their eyes on WuXi, and that has US biotechs worried. statnews.com/2024/02/29/bio…

New: Congress has abandoned efforts to reform PBMs in the upcoming government funding package, though the issue could come up again later this year statnews.com/2024/02/26/con…

New: A bipartisan Senate working group sent out a discussion draft of 340B reforms, including deciding the contract pharmacy issue once and for all, and a new fee for providers statnews.com/2024/02/02/340…

We reported on the very serious antitrust concerns of this Novant hospital deal last March, and now FTC is suing to block it. statnews.com/2023/03/06/nov…

NGL, I was feeling pretty mad yesterday talking to fellow moms about their experiences pumping while traveling for work. Turns out, pumping in bathroom stalls is routine. It's something women accept & we don't talk about it. I had no idea. 🧵

tinyurl.com/6x4nftne

New: Congressional leaders talked about adding Medicare pay bumps for doctors, increased funding for community health centers, and other health policies to this week's CR, but negotiations fell apart statnews.com/2024/01/17/con…

Would you want your lunch prepared in a bathroom stall?

This is my favorite story from the JPM conference. By Tara Bannow
Pumping milk at JPM was a nightmare. It’s part of a bigger problem in the industry statnews.com/2024/01/11/jpm… via STAT

statnews.com/2024/01/05/ron…