In 2018 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) suddenly removed Auryxia (ferric citrate) from the Medicare Part D drug formulary and began to require prior authorization for the few indications it would reimburse. CMS gave little information about the reversal but apparently made the decision because it views ferric citrate at a mineral product, like dietary supplements such as Vitamin C. Dietary supplements are not covered by Medicare except in a few cases.
Category: Drug Prices & Regulations
The Top 10 Health Care Scams of 2021
The Lown Institute recently released its Top 10 worse examples of profiteering and dysfunction in our health care system in 2021. Lown’s so-called Shkreli Awards were named after Martin Shkreli, the “pharma bro,” whose company became infamous for price gouging. After Turing Pharmaceuticals bought the 60-year old drug Daraprim, the price rose for $13.50 a pill to $750 a…