Latest news with #drugcoverage
CTV News
11 hours ago
- Health
- CTV News
B.C. government won't fund drug for 9-year-old with rare disease
Charleigh Pollock poses on a field trip with her classmates on June 13, 2025. VICTORIA — The British Columbia government says it will no longer fund an expensive drug for a nine-year-old girl who has a rare and terminal condition. Health Minister Josie Osborne says in a statement that Charleigh Pollock's condition with Batten Disease has reached the point where she meets the criteria to discontinue the use of Brineura. The girl has been receiving the drug therapy since 2019 at a cost of about $1 million a year. Related: B.C. to cut off drug treatment for 9-year-old girl with rare disease She is the only person in the province, and one of 13 children in Canada, who has the genetic and fatal disorder that results in multiple seizures a day. The statement says clinical evidence shows that once a patient has declined in motor skills and language functions by a certain amount, the drug is no longer a benefit in slowing the progression of the disease. Osborne says a Canada Drug Agency review of the latest research on the girl's disease found there was no evidence to support its continuing drug coverage, given the advanced stage of her condition. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 18, 2025.
Health Line
12-05-2025
- Health
- Health Line
Part D Late Enrollment Penalty
You can sign up for a Medicare Part D drug plan when initially eligible for Original Medicare. There's a 3-month period starting when your Medicare parts A and B become active. During this time, you can enroll in Medicare Part D without a late enrollment fee. Your monthly Part D premium includes a late enrollment penalty if you miss this time frame. This penalty is 1% of the average monthly prescription premium cost for each month you delay enrollment. In total, this works out to 12% annually. How does Medicare calculate my Part D late enrollment penalty? Medicare determines the late enrollment penalty by taking 1% of the national base beneficiary premium, which is $36.78 in 2025, and multiplying it by the number of months you spend without coverage. Then, Medicare rounds this amount to the nearest 10 cents and adds it to your Part D monthly premium. Medicare recalculates this amount annually using the base premium amount for that year. How long do I pay the Medicare Part D late enrollment penalty? This additional charge is permanent, and every monthly premium includes it for as long as you have Medicare Part D coverage and don't enroll in a Medicare drug plan when you initially become eligible for Original Medicare. You also incur it if you're eligible for Medicare and go 63 days or longer without creditable drug coverage. Once you enroll in a Medicare drug plan, the plan can inform you of your premium amount and whether a penalty is applicable.
