STAT+: Colorado board makes first-in-the-nation move by setting a payment limit on an Amgen drug
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In a first-in-the-nation move, a Colorado panel has voted to limit what health plans in the state will pay for a costly arthritis treatment, a step that may encourage other states to pursue similar strategies to contain spending on prescription medicines.<\/p>\n
The landmark vote by the Colorado Prescription Drug Affordability Board creates an upper payment limit<\/a> for the widely prescribed Enbrel medication, which is a blockbuster treatment sold by Amgen. As a practical matter, the decision establishes a payment ceiling for government agencies and commercial plans that provide health insurance for state residents.<\/p>\n The limit was set at $600 per unit, which is also the current maximum fair price that is set to go into effect in the Medicare program in January. This works out to approximately $30,350 a year per person, compared with roughly $53,000 that the average insurance plan in the state paid per person in 2023, according to state claims database.<\/p>\n Continue to STAT+ to read the full story\u2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n