Despite Big Talk On Bringing Down Drug Prices, Critics Find Trump’s Plan Modest, Underwhelming
The White House Council of Economic Advisers has released a 30-page strategy for reducing drug costs. But the White House strategy largely sidesteps the question of whether drugmakers set their prices too high to start with.
The New York Times:
Lower Drug Prices: New Proposals Carry Lots Of Promises
When it comes to high drug prices, President Trump and members of Congress have been long on promises but short on action. But that appears to be changing: The White House on Friday released a report recommending significant changes that would affect drug costs and the president’s budget proposal on Monday is expected to include some plans to expand drug coverage under Medicare. In addition, a spending bill passed by Congress on Friday included a provision that would accelerate closing a payment gap in Medicare for prescription drugs. (Thomas and Abelson, 2/9)
The Associated Press:
Trump's Big Promises On Drug Costs Followed By Modest Steps
The White House Council of Economic Advisers has released a 30-page strategy for reducing drug costs, and it calls current policies "neither wise nor just." The plan, outlined before Trump releases his new budget proposal Monday, focuses mainly on Medicare and Medicaid changes, along with ideas for speeding drug approvals and fostering competition. (Alonso-Zaldivar and Perrone, 2/12)
The Washington Post:
White House Releases White Paper On Lowering Drug Prices
The White House released a 30-page white paper Friday morning that promotes easing government regulations and spurring innovation to lower drug prices, while roundly rejecting the idea of government price setting. The document, written by the White House’s Council of Economic Advisers, comes on the heels of reports that President Trump will include a list of proposals to lower patients’ out-of-pocket spending on drugs in the budget he will release next week. (Winfield Cunningham, 2/9)
The Wall Street Journal:
Trump Moves To Cut Costs For Prescription Drugs
Alex Azar, the newly confirmed Secretary of Health and Human Services, said the main objectives of the administration’s initiatives were to “reduce out-of-pocket expenses for seniors” and to “increase the ability of the government to get a good deal” in purchasing prescription drugs. “We do think drug prices are too high,” he said. (Burton, 2/9)
Stat:
White House Advisers Raise Possibility Of Faster Reviews For Branded Drugs
Seeking new ways to lower drug prices, White House advisers have raised the prospect of fast-tracking the review process for some brand-name medications submitted for approval to the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA already prioritizes the review of drugs that are the first, second, and third generics of any given brand. The new idea, outlined in a report from the Council of Economic Advisers released Friday, might expand such a policy to brand-name drugs that treat similar diseases but can’t be interchanged like generics can be. (Swetlitz, 2/9)
Stat:
McCain And Baldwin To Trump: Hold Pharma's Feet To The Fire On Drug Prices
Frustrated by White House efforts to tackle rising drug prices, a pair of U.S. lawmakers is urging the Trump administration to more squarely focus on drug makers — by backing legislation requiring them to justify their pricing and provide a breakdown of expenses before raising prices on some medicines. In a letter to be sent on Monday to President Trump, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) urge him to “make good on your promise” to fix a problem that is vexing an increasing number of Americans. They call on Trump to back the Fair Accountability and Innovative Research Drug Pricing Act, which they introduced last May. An identical bill was also introduced in the House, but both have languished. (Silverman, 2/11)
The Associated Press:
States Look To Lower Drug Costs, Consider Canadian Imports
Lawmakers in more than two-thirds of the states are considering ways to reduce prescription drug costs, including importing them from Canada, as they strive to balance budgets without knowing for sure what their government's share of the tab will be. A total of 87 bills in 34 states of all political stripes seek to save money on prescription drugs, according to the nonpartisan National Academy for State Health Policy. Six of those states are considering bills that would allow drugs to be imported from Canada, where they cost an average 30 percent less than in the United States. (Ring, 2/11)
