Courtney Welcomes CMS Announcement on Upcoming Savings for Medicare Part B Beneficiaries After Months of Pressing for Reduced Costs

Norwich, CT – Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) issued the following statement this afternoon after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a report on the reexamination of Medicare Part B premium payments. In January, Medicare Part B beneficiaries saw their monthly premiums rise by 14%—from $148.50 to $170.10 each month. This was the largest increase in the history of the program, and it was fueled by expected costs attributable to the drug Aduhelm, whose initial astronomical price has since been cut in half. Since then, Courtney has pressed the Department of Health and Human Service (HHS) and HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra to re-evaluate the price hike and lower costs for Americans.

Today’s CMS report acknowledges that Medicare Part B spending has been lower-than-expected after the price of Aduhelm was reduced, and recommends that the cost savings be passed on to Medicare Part B program participants in the 2023 premium calculation.

“Today’s unprecedented announcement by the Center for Medicare Services—which confirms the 2022 Medicare Part B premium overshot the actual cost of the program for this calendar year—will provide tangible, out of pocket relief for millions of Americans starting six months from now, and through 2023,” said Rep. Courtney. “As I and dozens of other House colleagues wrote in January, the decision to raise monthly premium costs by $22 in 2022 was based on an overestimation of the cost of the new drug Aduhelm, which was originally pegged at $56,000 per patient annually. To his credit, HHS secretary Xavier Becerra acknowledged that the true cost of Aduhelm was cut in half, and its utilization ended up being more limited than anticipated. The actual cost of 2023 premiums will be announced in October, and myself and other House members will be vigilantly tracking this issue to ensure there will be meaningful out-of-pocket savings for seniors and the disabled who pay these premiums out of their monthly Social Security checks.”

In January, Courtney led a letter signed by over 30 Representatives to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra urging his department to re-evaluate the price hike. In February, Courtney penned an op-ed for The Hill newspaper, titled The driving force behind Medicare Part B’s price increase was blunted—the price hike should be, too. In March, Rep. Courtney provided an update: HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra announced that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is actively reassessing Medicare Part B premiums for 2022, and that a decision on reducing costs could come as soon as April. In April, Courtney continued pressing Secretary Becerra for an update on Part B premium payment recalculations—click here to watch.

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