Insurance Companies Deny Coverage for New Alzheimer's Treatment to Select Customers
Some private insurers in states like North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and New York are refusing to cover the newly approved Alzheimer's drug, Leqembi, citing it as experimental and not fully proven. This decision contrasts with Medicare, which will cover most patients taking the drug. While Leqembi is the first drug shown to slow cognitive decline in Alzheimer's patients, insurers are concerned about its side effects and high cost. The denial of coverage by commercial insurers may leave some patients without access to the treatment, as they wait for Medicare or Medicaid coverage.