News in brief - Oct. 10, 2005

CMS starts naming Medicare Rx plans - FDA chief steps down

CMS starts naming Medicare Rx plans

Ten large insurers will offer national Medicare prescription drug plans to anyone enrolled in the program starting next year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently announced.

Aetna Life Insurance Co.; Connecticut General Life Insurance Co.; Coventry Health & Life Insurance; Medco Containment Life Insurance Co.; Memberhealth Inc.; Pacificare Life and Health Insurance Co.; Silverscript Insurance Co.; Unicare; United Health Care Insurance Co.; and Wellcare Health Plans received CMS approval to offer the plans. Dozens of other stand-alone drug plans and Medicare managed care options will be available on a regional basis, though at press time federal officials had not yet released final details about them.

Open enrollment for Medicare seniors and people with disabilities starts Nov. 15 for 2006 coverage. Insurers started marketing to beneficiaries Oct. 1.

FDA chief steps down

Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Lester Crawford, DVM, unexpectedly resigned in late September, less than three months after receiving a long-awaited confirmation vote from the Senate.

Dr. Crawford, 67, gave few reasons for the departure other than to cite his more than three years at the agency and his age. Several lawmakers critical of the FDA for recent decisions on drug approvals and safety issues said they welcome the opportunity to redirect the agency under a new leader.

The White House immediately named Andrew von Eschenbach, MD, as acting commissioner. A urological surgeon from Houston, Dr. von Eschenbach is director of the National Cancer Institute. Bush administration officials declined to say whether the president would consider nominating the temporary chief to the full post.