Biogen's new Alzheimer's drug comes with "serious cost concerns" for millions on Medicare

Biogen's new Alzheimer's drug may substantially raise premium costs for millions of Medicare patients and inflate costs for the government program itself, experts say. 

The drug, called Aduhelm and administered by infusion, will cost $56,000 for a year of treatment per patient, Biogen announced last week. The Food and Drug Administration approved the drug amid controversy over its expense and efficacy. That raises "serious cost concerns for both patients and payers, particularly Medicare," according to a recent analysis from the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation.  Roughly 6 million people in the U.S. have Alzheimer's, according to the Alzheimer's Association. About 2 million with the disease are covered by Medicare, the government health insurance program. Putting a quarter of Medicare recipients on Aduhelm would raises costs by $29 billion a year, more than any other medication, Kaiser found.