Medicaid to offer outcomes-based deal for sickle cell gene therapies

The US regulator has launched a new national initiative to help Medicaid programs fund gene therapies for sickle cell disease, under an agreement aimed at broadening access while linking payments to real-world treatment results.

The Cell and Gene Therapy Access Model, announced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), will involve 33 states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Together, these regions account for roughly 84% of Medicaid beneficiaries living with sickle cell disease.