Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
House Investigates Alleged 'Anti-Competitive Tactics' By Key PBMs
Modern Healthcare: House Investigating PBMs Caremark, Express Scripts, OptumRx
A key House panel has joined the chorus of critics railing against pharmacy benefit managers, increasing government pressure on several major healthcare companies. Oversight and Accountability Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) is the latest official to launch an investigation into what he called “anti-competitive tactics" that increase healthcare spending and disadvantage patients, the committee announced in a news release Wednesday. (Tepper and Nzanga, 3/6)
More on medical costs and debt —
Axios: Medicaid Has A Target On Its Back
Republicans looking for ways to reduce federal spending have served notice they won't cut Medicare and Social Security. But that could mean big proposed cuts for Medicaid. Over 80 million people were enrolled in Medicaid as of November, higher than the number signed up for Medicare, and the pandemic and successive relief packages have swelled program rolls to record highs. (Sullivan, Knight and Goldman, 3/7)
KHN: Biden Administration Urged To Take More Aggressive Steps To Relieve Medical Debt
Dozens of advocates for patients and consumers, citing widespread harm caused by medical debt, are pushing the Biden administration to take more aggressive steps to protect Americans from medical bills and debt collectors. In letters to the IRS and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the groups call for new federal rules that among other things would prohibit debt for medically necessary care from appearing on consumer credit reports. (Levey, 3/7)
Axios: As Cyber Attacks On Health Care Soar, So Does The Cost Of Cyber Insurance
Health systems buffeted by labor and supply chain costs and broader economic woes have another unwieldy financial problem: the soaring costs of cyber insurance. It may not be sexy — or the first thing you think about when cybercriminals wreak havoc on hospital infrastructure. But the sheer scope of the problem, and insurers' reluctance to cover losses stemming from ransomware attacks, is hitting hospitals in a very real way, Moody's Investors Services points out. (Reed, 3/6)
KHN: For Young People On Medicare, A Hysterectomy Sometimes Is More Affordable Than Birth Control
Sam Chavarría said her doctor was clear about the birth defects her medication could cause if she became pregnant but agreed to keep her on it as long as she had an IUD. As she was waiting to get her contraceptive intrauterine device replaced at her local clinic, however, the billing nurse told her that her insurance wouldn’t cover the removal — or a new IUD. Chavarría didn’t understand why not. “Then she said very delicately, ‘Well, people on this insurance typically tend to be older,’” Chavarría recalled. (Jimenez, 3/7)
In other news —
Stat: How One Medical School Became Remarkably Diverse
The diversity of medical school classes has barely budged in recent decades, even with the ability to consider an applicant’s race as one factor in admissions. Now, many medical school leaders fear a looming U.S. Supreme Court decision to restrict or ban race-conscious admissions policies could lead to precipitous declines, imperiling efforts to fight the nation’s stark racial and ethnic health disparities. (McFarling, 3/7)
