CMS Finalizes Mandatory GLOBE Drug-Pricing Model; UCR Plan Convenes Governance Task Force

GLOBE Model: Mandatory Medicare Part B Drug-Pricing Reform

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a final rule implementing the Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing Model (GLOBE Model), a new mandatory Medicare payment model authorized under section 1115A of the Social Security Act. The regulations are effective on November 30, 2026, and are codified at 42 CFR 513.

The GLOBE Model is designed to test whether an alternative method for calculating Medicare Part B drug inflation rebate amounts for certain separately payable Medicare Part B drugs and biological products can reduce costs for Original Medicare (OM) beneficiaries — a term the rule states has the same meaning as Medicare fee-for-service and the traditional Medicare program — and for the Medicare program overall, while preserving quality of care.

The rule's background section documents the financial pressures motivating the model. According to the document, Medicare Part B funding comes from two sources: beneficiary premiums and general Federal revenues. The rule notes that total Medicare Part B beneficiary premium amounts increased by $39 billion, or 53 percent, from 2016 to 2021. The per-enrollee premium amount also rose, from $1,423 in 2016 to $1,942 in 2021. The annual Federal revenue contribution to Medicare Part B increased from $235.6 billion in 2016 to $386.0 billion in 2024, which the document describes as illustrating increased burdens across all financing mechanisms in Medicare Part B.

The rule further draws on survey data to establish the patient-impact rationale. The document cites a June 2025 survey showing that one quarter of adults reported not filling a prescription in 2024 because of cost, and that among those who had taken a prescription, one in three stated they did not fill at least one prescription because of the cost. It also notes that one in four adults taking prescriptions report difficulty affording their medication, including 40 percent of those with household income of less than $40,000 per year. A separate survey cited in the rule found that about 4 in 10 older adults with Medicare reported problems accessing healthcare because of its costs, and that 14 percent of Medicare beneficiaries stated they skipped taking or sometimes did not fill their prescription because of the expense. The document also references studies indicating that Medicare patients with cancer and certain chronic conditions are more likely to report cost-related medication non-adherence, and notes that one study theorized Medicare beneficiaries without supplemental insurance are limited in accessing immune checkpoint inhibitors due to the high cost of coinsurance. CMS designated the rule as economically significant; the final rule spans 181 Federal Register pages.

UCR Plan Governance Task Force Meeting

Separately, the Unified Carrier Registration Plan announced a public meeting of its Governance Task Force scheduled for October 7, 2026, from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Eastern time, at the Residence Inn Downtown Hotel, 100 Sabin Street, Providence, RI 02903. The meeting is open to the public.

The Task Force's stated agenda covers several governance matters. These include review and possible approval of draft minutes from the August 5, 2026, Task Force meeting; a discussion of a proposed UCR Plan Board member Conflict of Interest Acknowledgement Form, with possible action to recommend that the Board require each individual Board member to read, complete, and sign such a form; and consideration of proposed charters for all UCR Plan Subcommittees. The Task Force also plans to discuss long-term strategic planning for UCR Plan vendor partnerships, including the Executive Director role, Seikosoft and the next iteration of the National Registration System, DSL's service model, Kellen, and other strategic partners. According to the notice, the Task Force may identify opportunities for further evaluation and recommend future planning activities to support continuity, innovation, and the UCR Plan's evolving needs.

What to Watch

• November 30, 2026: GLOBE Model regulations take effect (42 CFR 513).
• October 7, 2026, 10:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. ET: UCR Plan Governance Task Force public meeting, Providence, RI. The agenda was to be available no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on September 29, 2026, at https://plan.ucr.gov.

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