Drug Pricing
Commentary
Read about the importance of drug price transparency
Transparency Is The Cure For What Ails American Health Care
A government shutdown has been averted—for now. Congress approved a continuing resolution this weekend that funds the government through mid-November. But the weeks-long fight put other important legislative work on hold. Take the “Lower Costs, More Transparency Act.” Late last month, lawmakers pulled it from the floor ahead of an
Sally C. Pipes
October 2, 2023
Commentary
Read about problems with drug price controls
Let’s Hope Drug Companies Win Price Controls War
The IRA gives federal officials the authority to dictate what Medicare pays for certain medicines — a scheme intended to reduce the government’s drug bill. Late last month, the Department of Health and Human Services announced the first 10 drugs subject to the law’s price controls, which include the blood thinners
Sally C. Pipes
September 26, 2023
Commentary
Read about problems of PBMs
Congress Waking Up to PBMs Drug Cost Manipulations
PBMs work for (or increasingly are part of) insurance companies. They decide which drugs patients can access and negotiate rebates to drugs’ list prices. The term “rebates” sounds like these discounts should benefit patients, but PBMs and insurers pocket these savings while basing patients’ costs on the higher undiscounted prices.
Pacific Research Institute
September 21, 2023
Commentary
Drug price controls hurt patients
Costly Imported Medicines Leave Patients Vulnerable
Texas just became the latest state to look north for lower drug prices. As of the beginning of this month, the state’s Health and Human Services Commission gained authority to contract with Canadian wholesalers and suppliers to import prescription drugs from our northern neighbor. The prices of brand-name prescription drugs
Sally C. Pipes
September 19, 2023
Commentary
Read latest about problems with PBMs
Pharmacy benefit manager reform must remain a priority for Congress
Congress has returned to Capitol Hill from summer recess. Lawmakers in both chambers have a full slate of policy priorities to attend to — not least among them funding the government and averting a shutdown before the Sept. 30 deadline. Several healthcare items will also remain near the top of
Sally C. Pipes
September 13, 2023
Commentary
Government Regulation Threatens Life-Saving Innovation
Drug Companies Are Delivering a “Golden Age of Medicine.” Let’s Protect It.
New vaccines for scourges like malaria and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. New cancer drugs that can cut death rates by half or even cause complete remission. The discovery of a biomarker that could identify people who would benefit from investigational drugs for Parkinson’s Disease. Breakthrough treatments that curb obesity
Sally C. Pipes
September 6, 2023
Commentary
Learn how price controls threaten access to drugs
Despite Democrats’ Celebratory Mood, It’s A Sad Day For American Patients.
President Joe Biden celebrated a milestone today—but American patients have no reason to cheer. The White House announced the first 10 prescription drugs that, starting in 2026, will be subject to price controls authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act . . . It’s laudable that lawmakers want to reduce out-of-pocket
Sally C. Pipes
August 29, 2023
Commentary
Read latest on government price controls
Medicaid Drug Price Transparency Rule Is More Sinister Than It Seems
The Biden administration claims to support price transparency in healthcare. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has formally warned hundreds of hospitals to comply with federal rules requiring them to post their prices publicly. And the agency just rolled out a new rule designed to “advance prescription drug transparency
Sally C. Pipes
August 25, 2023
Commentary
Read the latest about PBMs
It’s Time To End the PBM Shakedown
Who says bipartisanship is dead? In the House and Senate, members of both parties are advancing legislation to check the power of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), the self-dealing middlemen in the drug supply chain that inflate Americans’ spending on prescriptions by billions of dollars a year. By shining a light
Sally C. Pipes
August 21, 2023
Blog
Read more about broken 340B program
340B Advocates Strike Back
There are many reasons why government programs fail to deliver on their intentions, regardless of how well meaning they may be. The rhetoric from too many 340B recipients exemplifies a primary obstacle: Reforms that are necessary to correct a program’s glaring flaws or its fundamental unsustainability are demagogued and labeled
Wayne Winegarden
August 11, 2023
Read about the importance of drug price transparency
Transparency Is The Cure For What Ails American Health Care
A government shutdown has been averted—for now. Congress approved a continuing resolution this weekend that funds the government through mid-November. But the weeks-long fight put other important legislative work on hold. Take the “Lower Costs, More Transparency Act.” Late last month, lawmakers pulled it from the floor ahead of an
Read about problems with drug price controls
Let’s Hope Drug Companies Win Price Controls War
The IRA gives federal officials the authority to dictate what Medicare pays for certain medicines — a scheme intended to reduce the government’s drug bill. Late last month, the Department of Health and Human Services announced the first 10 drugs subject to the law’s price controls, which include the blood thinners
Read about problems of PBMs
Congress Waking Up to PBMs Drug Cost Manipulations
PBMs work for (or increasingly are part of) insurance companies. They decide which drugs patients can access and negotiate rebates to drugs’ list prices. The term “rebates” sounds like these discounts should benefit patients, but PBMs and insurers pocket these savings while basing patients’ costs on the higher undiscounted prices.
Drug price controls hurt patients
Costly Imported Medicines Leave Patients Vulnerable
Texas just became the latest state to look north for lower drug prices. As of the beginning of this month, the state’s Health and Human Services Commission gained authority to contract with Canadian wholesalers and suppliers to import prescription drugs from our northern neighbor. The prices of brand-name prescription drugs
Read latest about problems with PBMs
Pharmacy benefit manager reform must remain a priority for Congress
Congress has returned to Capitol Hill from summer recess. Lawmakers in both chambers have a full slate of policy priorities to attend to — not least among them funding the government and averting a shutdown before the Sept. 30 deadline. Several healthcare items will also remain near the top of
Government Regulation Threatens Life-Saving Innovation
Drug Companies Are Delivering a “Golden Age of Medicine.” Let’s Protect It.
New vaccines for scourges like malaria and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. New cancer drugs that can cut death rates by half or even cause complete remission. The discovery of a biomarker that could identify people who would benefit from investigational drugs for Parkinson’s Disease. Breakthrough treatments that curb obesity
Learn how price controls threaten access to drugs
Despite Democrats’ Celebratory Mood, It’s A Sad Day For American Patients.
President Joe Biden celebrated a milestone today—but American patients have no reason to cheer. The White House announced the first 10 prescription drugs that, starting in 2026, will be subject to price controls authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act . . . It’s laudable that lawmakers want to reduce out-of-pocket
Read latest on government price controls
Medicaid Drug Price Transparency Rule Is More Sinister Than It Seems
The Biden administration claims to support price transparency in healthcare. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has formally warned hundreds of hospitals to comply with federal rules requiring them to post their prices publicly. And the agency just rolled out a new rule designed to “advance prescription drug transparency
Read the latest about PBMs
It’s Time To End the PBM Shakedown
Who says bipartisanship is dead? In the House and Senate, members of both parties are advancing legislation to check the power of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), the self-dealing middlemen in the drug supply chain that inflate Americans’ spending on prescriptions by billions of dollars a year. By shining a light
Read more about broken 340B program
340B Advocates Strike Back
There are many reasons why government programs fail to deliver on their intentions, regardless of how well meaning they may be. The rhetoric from too many 340B recipients exemplifies a primary obstacle: Reforms that are necessary to correct a program’s glaring flaws or its fundamental unsustainability are demagogued and labeled