Sanders And Cassidy Agree On Targeting PBMs In Drug Costs Bill
News outlets report on political progress made during bipartisan efforts to boost access to generic drugs, with a goal of increasing transparency demands on PBMs. Separately, a Medicare official has insisted drug price negotiations will include how important a drug is to patients.
Stat:
Sens. Bernie Sanders, Bill Cassidy Reach Deal On PBM, Generic Reform
Senate health committee leaders Bernie Sanders and Bill Cassidy on Tuesday announced an agreement on a bipartisan package to increase access to generic drugs and increase the transparency required of pharmacy middlemen. (Cohrs, 4/25)
Modern Healthcare:
Sanders, Cassidy Target PBMs In New Senate Bill
The pressure on pharmacy benefit managers mounts on Capitol Hill as the leaders of the Senate health committee unveiled the latest bills targeting prescription drug costs on Tuesday. (Tepper and Nzanga, 4/25)
On Medicare drug price negotiation —
Stat:
Medicare Official Insists Drug Price Negotiation Will Consider Value
When Medicare starts negotiating drug prices, it will take into account how important a drug is for patients, Meena Seshamani, the director of the Center for Medicare, said Tuesday. (Wilkerson, 4/25)
In other news from Capitol Hill —
AP:
More Sanctions For Deadly Fentanyl If Bill Becomes Law
Over the past year, the U.S. Treasury Department has used its sanctions powers to impose wide-ranging financial penalties on Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine — turning Russia into the most sanctioned country in the world. Now, the federal agency is facing increasing pressure, including from legislation introduced Tuesday in the Senate, to use those tools with similar vigor against the people, financial institutions and companies that have participated in the explosion of fentanyl use and distribution in the U.S. (Hussein, 4/25)
