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flag Medicaid's new model pays for sickle cell gene therapies only if they work, involving major drugmakers and 34 jurisdictions.

flag Medicaid has launched a new outcome-based payment model for gene therapies treating sickle cell disease, where states only pay if treatments succeed. flag The initiative, begun under Biden and continued under Trump, involves Vertex Pharmaceuticals and Bluebird Bio, who will provide discounts or rebates if therapies fail to deliver results. flag The high-cost treatments, priced between $2.2 million and $3.1 million per patient, aim to cure a genetic disorder affecting about 100,000 primarily Black Americans. flag Thirty-three states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico have joined, seeking to control costs while improving access. flag CMS has not disclosed financial terms, citing confidentiality. flag Early results from patients like Serenity Cole show reduced pain and better quality of life, though long-term effectiveness remains under evaluation. flag The model could set a precedent for future high-cost gene and cell therapies.

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