When it comes to lowering U.S. drug prices, Congress has a lot of options among the several bills that have been introduced in both the House and Senate over the years. But a deadlock between bipartisan measures and partisan proposals has reduced legislative action to mere talk. The deadlock, and the at times hyperbolic debate, continued in yet another congressional hearing March 16 on “the urgent need to lower drug prices in Medicare,” as the Senate Finance Committee billed it.
While comments continue to pour in, both in opposition and support, regarding the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposed national coverage decision that would restrict Medicare coverage of monoclonal antibodies intended to treat Alzheimer’s to those used in CMS- or NIH-approved clinical trials, some groups also are appealing to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra to step into an HHS agency turf war.
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has withdrawn the proposal to provide automatic Medicare coverage of FDA breakthrough devices, but the proposal may not be as dead as it once seemed.
Biopharma companies that have agreed to pay the U.S. Department of Justice millions of dollars to resolve allegations that they illegally used charities to cover patients’ Medicare copays for brand drugs are finding those settlements may be just the beginning of their legal woes, even when the companies admit no liability in the settlement.
Reiterating prescription drug pricing provisions included in an executive order issued in July, U.S. President Joe Biden provided a bit of context and a little more detail about what he has in mind during a brief Aug. 12 speech on how his “Build Back Better” agenda would lower drug prices. Part of that agenda is to allow Medicare to directly negotiate prescription drug prices. “The only thing Medicare is not allowed to negotiate are prices for prescription drugs. My plan gets rid of that prohibition,” Biden said, adding that Medicare negotiates every other health care cost.
The annual scramble for elevated payment rates under the U.S. Medicare inpatient rule has concluded, and at least one artificial intelligence product came up short in its bid for a new technology add-on (NTAP) payment. However, Medtronic plc, Boston Scientific Corp. and Cook Medical Inc. all secured or sustained NTAP payments for products that are critical for patients with a variety of life-threatening conditions, such as severe pulmonary valve regurgitation in pediatric patients.
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to take up one piece of the 340B conundrum that’s pitting biopharma against hospitals and catching the Department of Health and Human Services in between. The case the court agreed to hear, the American Hospital Association (AHA) v. Becerra, focuses on whether HHS has the authority to cut Medicare reimbursement rates to reflect the steep discounts 340B hospitals get on certain prescription drugs.
Nearly a week after U.S. President Joe Biden called on Congress to get prescription drug pricing reform done, a House subcommittee took up dueling bills aimed at bringing down drug prices.
Responding to concerns about last-minute changes the Trump administration made to the Part D Payment Modernization Model for calendar year 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) said March 16 that it is not moving forward with the formulary flexibilities that could have restricted Medicare patients’ access to necessary drugs.
The voluminous American Rescue Plan – the second largest stimulus package in U.S. history – has something for everyone. Almost. The $1.9 trillion package that passed the Senate over the weekend and is expected to be passed by the House March 9 failed to extend the current moratorium, set to expire April 1, on the 2% Medicare sequestration.
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