CMS Innovation Center to More Than Double Staff for Drug Pricing Pilots

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' innovation center is ramping up staff to support new pilot models aimed at lowering drug costs across Medicaid and Medicare.

CMMI Director Abe Sutton said the center is on track to more than double the size of its team focused on drug pricing initiatives. The expansion comes as the agency develops new payment models to address prescription drug costs.

The CMS Innovation Center has been working on various pilots aimed at reducing drug costs, including models that would tie reimbursement to patient outcomes or negotiate prices based on effectiveness.

This expansion signals continued administration focus on drug pricing reform, even as legislative efforts face challenges in Congress. The innovation center's enhanced staffing will support development and implementation of new models that could reshape how prescription drugs are paid for in federal health programs.

Drug pricing remains a key policy priority, with Medicare and Medicaid combined representing a significant portion of prescription drug spending in the United States. The innovation center's work could influence pricing models used by commercial insurers as well.