Cigna creates new program to pay for high-price gene therapies
The payer unveiled Embarc Benefit Protection, which it said would enable plans to pay a monthly, per-member fee to enroll, while patients would not have to pay anything out of pocket.
The payer unveiled Embarc Benefit Protection, which it said would enable plans to pay a monthly, per-member fee to enroll, while patients would not have to pay anything out of pocket.
While well-developed in cancers, precision medicine's readiness for prime time beyond oncology varies markedly from disease to disease. But reimbursement remains a significant hurdle.
The company expects reimbursement decisions by national-level authorities in 2019 and 2020. The UK's NICE recommended Cancer Drugs Fund coverage for another high-priced Novartis therapy, the CAR-T Kymriah, earlier this month.
With a positive CHMP decision, the European Commission is expected to rule in two months, but equity research analysts foresee significant headwinds for the gene therapy.