Two big factors behind the slow debut, experts say, are scant insurance coverage and a long setup time needed by many health systems.
. Here’s a closer look.Leqembi, from Japanese drugmaker Eisai, in early January. It's for patients with mild or early cases of dementia tied to Alzheimer’s disease.
Eisai spokeswoman Libby Holman said prescriptions for the drug have been written, and they expect patients to start receiving it “very soon.”A year’s treatment will run about $26,500. Patients who can afford that without insurance will be able to start the treatment if they are deemed a candidate for Leqembi and they find a doctor and health care system prepared to help them.
Health insurers, which run Medicare Advantage coverage, have been sticking to that decision, said a spokesman for the trade group America's Health Insurance Plans. Then the doctor has to decide what caused the condition. It could stem from Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, a stroke or a brain injury. This planning might include training nurses on how to give the drug and making sure prescribing doctors know how to recognize candidates for it. Care providers also need a plan for how patients will be monitored once they start taking it.Doctors may want to know that such a plan is in place before they feel comfortable writing a prescription, Kremen noted.
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