Oct. 6 Quick Takes: CBO says covering anti-obesity medications won’t save money

Changing the law to allow Medicare coverage of anti-obesity medications (AOMs) would not produce net savings for the federal government, according to an analysis from the Congressional Budget Office. “To date,” CBO stated, “the evidence suggests that the amount of potential savings on cardiac care and other health care would be less than the current net federal cost of AOMs.” CBO added that while competition or the Medicare drug price negotiation act could reduce the cost of semaglutide, savings could be offset by the introduction of more effective or convenient AOMs with higher prices.

Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN) has completed its $27.8 billion acquisition of  Horizon Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ:HZNP), weeks after FTC agreed to let the transaction go through. Amgen agreed to forego cross-product bundling or exclusionary rebating schemes involving two Horizon products, thyroid eye disease treatment Tepezza teprotumumab and chronic refractory gout drug Krystexxa pegloticase, to secure the FTC’s blessing. ...