FDA Commissioner Says Cost-Cutting Could Hurt Generic Introductions
President Trump’s first Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner, Scott Gottlieb, made a great point in an opinion piece at statnews.com. Gottlieb says that Trump did a tremendous job introducing generics swiftly under his first few years in office. Reductions at FDA now could be a boon for brand drug makers as generic approvals will be further backlogged and allow brand makers to effectively maintain a monopoly after patents expire.
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#drugpricing #generics #brands #branddrugmakers #fda
PBMs Sue Arkansas Over Ownership Law
Pharmacy benefit management managers Express Scripts and CVS Health are suing Arkansas officials to challenge a law that bars PBMs in the state from owning pharmacies.
Additional article: https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/regulatory/arkansas-governor-signs-bill-barring-pbms-owning-pharmacies
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#pbms #drugpricing #pharmacies
https://www.modernhealthcare.com/legal/express-scripts-cvs-health-arkansas-pbms
Healthcare Costs For Average Person Went Up 6.7% in 2025
The Milliman Medical Index (MMI), which estimates annual healthcare costs for people covered by a typical employer-sponsored health plan, finds that healthcare costs for the average person increased 6.7% in 2025. The Index estimates that for 2025, healthcare costs for a hypothetical family of four rose to $35,119. For individuals, the average cost is $7,871.
Pharmacy costs are increasing by 9.7% and outpatient facility care costs are rising by 8.5%. Outpatient facility care and pharmacy now represent 37% of the total amount in the Milliman Medical Index, up from 30% in 2005.
In other news, JD Power finds that only 56% of health plan members in the United States are satisfied with their coverage.
Additional article: https://www.managedhealthcareexecutive.com/view/just-over-half-of-u-s-health-plan-members-satisfied-with-plan-study-shows
#healthcare #costs #coverage #healthplans #drugpricing
KFF Details HSA Provisions
Healthcare policy group KFF issued a good briefer about Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and recommended changes in the budget reconciliation bill.
#hsas #employercoverage #healthcare
— Marc S. Ryan
