Harris Economic Plan Includes Continuation of Biden Healthcare Priorities And More
In a major economic speech today, Democratic presidential nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris promised to lower drug prices, maintain enhanced premium subsidies in the Exchanges, and curb and retire medical debt. She would expand the Medicare drug price negotiation program to expand insulin and out-of-pocket drug cost-sharing caps to the commercial world. She also promised to combat pharmacy benefits managers’ (PBMs) unfair practices.
Additional articles: https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/4832005-kamala-harris-level-up-biden-admin-health-care-programs/ and https://insidehealthpolicy.com/daily-news/harris-economic-policy-plan-echoes-biden-s-health-cost-agenda
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#healthcare #elections2024 #harris
https://www.modernhealthcare.com/politics-policy/kamala-harris-health-plan-aca-drug-prices
Medicare Drug Negotiations Assessment And Next Steps
Medicare drug price negotiations appeared to go well, with half agreeing to prices and the other half staying in the program when a price was imposed. The brand drug makers decry the process as anything but a negotiation, but at the same time have assured investors that the lower prices will not impact them financially. Some are predicting that GLP-1 weight-loss drugs could be among the next ten drugs to be negotiated beginning February. The Medicare program will see a huge surge in costs of the expensive drugs as more take them for various disease states. So far, Medicare has not opened coverage to weight loss only.
Additional articles: https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/4830392-medicare-drug-price-negotiations-takeaways/ and https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/ahead-print-cost-medicare-covering-anti-obesity-drugs
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#ira #drugpricing #branddrugmakers #weightlossdrugs
California Bill Would Increase Oversight of Private Equity Investment In Healthcare
A bill in California’s legislature would increase oversight of private equity investments in healthcare. It is broadly backed by advocates, labor unions, and providers. Hospitals are opposed. Multiple studies show the deleterious impact on healthcare when private equity acquires a healthcare asset. Now-bankrupt Steward Health Care is a case in point.
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#privateequityfirms #antitrust #healthcare
Texas Sues On Nursing Home Staffing
The State of Texas is suing the Biden administration over its rule setting minimum staffing levels in nursing homes. There are other challenges against the regulation. Texas argues Medicare overstepped its authority in setting staffing levels. The case will be interesting given the striking of the Chevron precedent by the Supreme Court. The regulation was a clear election-year sop to unions. Studies show that the staffing is very onerous in an industry with a labor shortage. Further, it would lead to a massive consolidation in the industry and push smaller entities to sell to big ones.
#nursinghomes #cms
— Marc S. Ryan
