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The federal government spent about $10 billion last year on drugs covered under Medicare Part B, with one rheumatoid arthritis treatment accounting for about 5% of the spending, according the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Dr. Herb B. Kuhn, director of the Center for Medicare Management at CMS, presented information from a preliminary estimate of allowed charges under Part B to the House Ways and Means subcommittee on health. Infliximab (Remicade) made up about 5% of the total allowed charges under Medicare Part B in 2005, while intravenous immune globulin accounted for about 1.6%. About half the money paid last year for Part B drugs went to oncologists, 5% to urologists, and 4% to rheumatologists, according to Mr. Kuhn's written testimony.

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