NEW YORK — The Trump administration on Thursday said it would launch a pilot program that would allow states to limit health benefits for some of their Medicaid patients and negotiate drug prices on their behalf using an approach similar to commercial health plans. The administration’s Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) said states would have to opt into the Healthy Adult Opportunity program. It said that patients eligible for the program would be limited to adult beneficiaries under age 65 who are not eligible on the basis of a disability or their need for long-term care. It said participating states would be able to create a formulary of covered drugs, which would allow them to give drugmakers priority in the state in exchange for lower prices. States participating in the program will be required to report key quality metrics to CMS.

Source: National Post January 30, 2020 15:00 UTC