MedPAC Weighs Least-Costly Alternative Approaches To Control Part B Drug Prices

Congressional Medicare advisers are considering a proposal to bring back the controversial “least costly alternative” approach to paying for Part B drugs and are reviewing three policy options. Medicare Payment Advisory Commission Chair Glenn Hackbarth said Thursday (Sept. 11) that recommending nothing on the least-costly alternative approach is only an option if the commission comes up with ways for Medicare to pay for the forgone savings. From 1995 to April 2010, CMS used the least costly alternative policy to set...