How are insurers handling Leqembi and related scans?

WASHINGTON — A week after the Food and Drug Administration granted full, traditional approval to a new Alzheimer’s treatment, insurers are finalizing their plans to cover it as well as associated scans and diagnostic tests.

Medicare will cover most patients eligible for Leqembi, a new treatment developed by Eisai and Biogen to help slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. The drug, which has modest benefits, has potentially serious side effects for some patients including brain swelling and bleeding.

Medicare told STAT that it would cover brain scans and genetic testing that will help screen for and monitor potential side effects. Medicare already covers one amyloid PET scan per lifetime, but the agency is reconsidering that policy and plans to release a new proposed policy “soon,” an agency spokesperson said.