Changes outlined in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Blueprint, published in May 2018, include allowing Medicare Advantage plans to use step therapy for physician-administered Part B drugs, starting in January 2019. Most Medicare Advantage plans offer an outpatient Part D benefit, which they will be able to cross-manage with Part B. The policy initiative would give Medicare Advantage plans a similar set of tools that they already implement for Medicare Part D outpatient drugs. Approximately 33% of Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. This may explain why hMedicare Advantage plans who can negotiate lower prices, and patients who have more choices when selecting a Medicare Advantage plan and may have lower out-of-pocket costs.

Source: Forbes September 17, 2018 11:26 UTC