Commentary
Commentary
Generics Must Compete On Price, Not Safety
America’s generic drug market is one of our greatest health policy successes. Today, 91% of all prescriptions in the U.S. are filled with generics. That dominance saves patients and taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars every year—and it also drives innovation. Drugmakers know their monopoly on a new treatment will ...
Sally C. Pipes
August 21, 2025
Commentary
The Inflationary Effect of Drug Price Controls
In a bill chock full of bad policies, the drug pricing provision of the Inflation Reduction Act stands out as particularly troubling. This provision establishes a negotiation process to set a Maximum Fair Price (MFP) on selected drugs for Medicare patients. Because the legislation calls the MFP a negotiation doesn’t ...
Wayne H Winegarden
August 21, 2025
Commentary
The Trump Administration Is Reviving Its Worst Drug Pricing Policies
It’s been a big year for revivals. There’s a new Jurassic Park movie, a reunion tour featuring 1990s rock band Oasis, and a Harry Potter television series in the works. President Trump is also looking to revive some of the policies he tried to enact during his first term. He ...
Sally C. Pipes
August 18, 2025
Commentary
Juvenile justice reforms drive a spike in criminal offenses
Juvenile crime in California is rising – and rising by a lot. Last year, the number of juveniles arrested for all types of offenses reached 32,874, which was a staggering increase of 70 percent from just a few years ago in 2021, and since 2019 juvenile homicides rose 82 percent. ...
Steve Smith
August 18, 2025
Commentary
Is a Primary Care Revolution Dawning?
Americans in need of primary care will soon have more options, thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). The recently passed law allows patients to use money from tax-advantaged health savings accounts to pay for direct primary care for the first time. Direct primary care, or DPC, is ...
Sally C. Pipes
August 14, 2025
Commentary
Let the Obamacare subsidies expire
As members of Congress return to their districts this month, they may receive earfuls about extending the Biden administration‘s enhanced subsidies for Obamacare, which are scheduled to expire at the end of this year. Pundits warn that, unless Congress extends the subsidies, premiums in the individual market could increase by ...
Sally C. Pipes
August 12, 2025
Commentary
Drugmakers Are Embracing Direct-To-Consumer Sales. That’s Fantastic News For Patients.
Several Big Pharma companies have started selling their drugs directly to consumers (DTC). This shift — driven in part by President Trump’s push for lower drug prices and fewer middlemen — has garnered relatively little media coverage. But the implications for American patients, employers, and the healthcare system as a ...
Sally C. Pipes
August 8, 2025
Commentary
Obscuring the forest for the trees: Most LAUSD students still below standards
Recently, Los Angeles school superintendent Alberto Carvalho held a celebratory press conference to trumpet the incremental increase in the district’s student test scores, but while he was focusing on some bright trees, the dark forest remains—a large majority of Los Angeles students still fail to meet state grade-level standards in ...
Lance Izumi
August 6, 2025
Commentary
Obamacare Premiums Are Climbing Again. But Americans Finally Have An Alternative
Get ready to pay more for insurance coverage through Obamacare’s exchanges. The median premium increase for plans from 105 insurers in 19 states and the District of Columbia will be 15% in 2026, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. That’s more than double the median premium increase of 7% this ...
Sally C. Pipes
August 6, 2025
Commentary
Drug Tariffs Cure Nothing and Are a Tax Increase
President Donald Trump has made no secret of his desire for sweeping tariffs on pharmaceuticals. Last month, the president threatened tariffs as high as 200% on imported drugs. The trade deal with the European Union (EU) finalized July 27 includes a 15% levy on medicines imported from the continent. Drug ...
Sally C. Pipes
August 6, 2025
Generics Must Compete On Price, Not Safety
America’s generic drug market is one of our greatest health policy successes. Today, 91% of all prescriptions in the U.S. are filled with generics. That dominance saves patients and taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars every year—and it also drives innovation. Drugmakers know their monopoly on a new treatment will ...
The Inflationary Effect of Drug Price Controls
In a bill chock full of bad policies, the drug pricing provision of the Inflation Reduction Act stands out as particularly troubling. This provision establishes a negotiation process to set a Maximum Fair Price (MFP) on selected drugs for Medicare patients. Because the legislation calls the MFP a negotiation doesn’t ...
The Trump Administration Is Reviving Its Worst Drug Pricing Policies
It’s been a big year for revivals. There’s a new Jurassic Park movie, a reunion tour featuring 1990s rock band Oasis, and a Harry Potter television series in the works. President Trump is also looking to revive some of the policies he tried to enact during his first term. He ...
Juvenile justice reforms drive a spike in criminal offenses
Juvenile crime in California is rising – and rising by a lot. Last year, the number of juveniles arrested for all types of offenses reached 32,874, which was a staggering increase of 70 percent from just a few years ago in 2021, and since 2019 juvenile homicides rose 82 percent. ...
Is a Primary Care Revolution Dawning?
Americans in need of primary care will soon have more options, thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). The recently passed law allows patients to use money from tax-advantaged health savings accounts to pay for direct primary care for the first time. Direct primary care, or DPC, is ...
Let the Obamacare subsidies expire
As members of Congress return to their districts this month, they may receive earfuls about extending the Biden administration‘s enhanced subsidies for Obamacare, which are scheduled to expire at the end of this year. Pundits warn that, unless Congress extends the subsidies, premiums in the individual market could increase by ...
Drugmakers Are Embracing Direct-To-Consumer Sales. That’s Fantastic News For Patients.
Several Big Pharma companies have started selling their drugs directly to consumers (DTC). This shift — driven in part by President Trump’s push for lower drug prices and fewer middlemen — has garnered relatively little media coverage. But the implications for American patients, employers, and the healthcare system as a ...
Obscuring the forest for the trees: Most LAUSD students still below standards
Recently, Los Angeles school superintendent Alberto Carvalho held a celebratory press conference to trumpet the incremental increase in the district’s student test scores, but while he was focusing on some bright trees, the dark forest remains—a large majority of Los Angeles students still fail to meet state grade-level standards in ...
Obamacare Premiums Are Climbing Again. But Americans Finally Have An Alternative
Get ready to pay more for insurance coverage through Obamacare’s exchanges. The median premium increase for plans from 105 insurers in 19 states and the District of Columbia will be 15% in 2026, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. That’s more than double the median premium increase of 7% this ...
Drug Tariffs Cure Nothing and Are a Tax Increase
President Donald Trump has made no secret of his desire for sweeping tariffs on pharmaceuticals. Last month, the president threatened tariffs as high as 200% on imported drugs. The trade deal with the European Union (EU) finalized July 27 includes a 15% levy on medicines imported from the continent. Drug ...