Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
In Pricing Plan, House Dems Bump Up Minimum Number Of Drugs To Be Negotiated In Effort To Woo Progressives
The Hill: House Democrats Change Drug Pricing Bill In Bid To Address Progressive Concerns
House Democratic leaders are adjusting their signature bill to lower drug prices in an effort to address progressive concerns that a previous version of it was not strong enough. The underlying bill will allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower prices for up to 250 drugs per year, and the savings will apply to people in private insurance plans as well as Medicare. (Sullivan, 10/16)
Politico Pro: Energy And Commerce Committee Lays Out Tweaks To Drug Price Bill
The panel also plans to add a new section to the legislation, H.R. 3 (116), aimed at restraining pharmaceutical companies’ ability to launch new drugs at astronomical prices. Under the proposed language, any medicines that come to market at list prices higher than the U.S. median household income and don't have competition could be evaluated for direct government negotiation as soon as the following year. These drugs would not count toward the annual minimum that must be negotiated. (Cancryn and Karlin-Smith, 10/16)
Politico Pro: House Panel Says It Will 'Fix' Potential Loophole In Updated Drug Price Bill
An amended version of H.R. 3 (116) released this morning contained new exceptions that could significantly reduce how many drugs will be subject to new rebates in Medicare Part D when their prices rise faster than the rate of inflation. Drugs would be exempted from the penalties if the HHS secretary determines their availability is "essential to the health of beneficiaries" or that "extenuating circumstances" caused the price increase. (Karlin-Smith, 10/16)
CQ: Democrats Bow To Critics, Expand Scope Of Drug Price Bill
House leaders are seeking to solidify support from progressives for the bill, which represents one of the party's top domestic priorities and a major campaign issue. “I want to stress that this is a floor,” Pallone said Wednesday of the minimum number of drugs required to be negotiated by the bill. “The secretary can do a lot more and hopefully will.” (Clason, 10/16)
In other news from Capitol Hill —
The Hill: Top Republican Rejects Democratic Chairman's Approach To Stopping Surprise Medical Bills
The top Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday rejected a proposal from the Democratic chairman of the panel to protect patients from surprise medical bills, saying a different approach is needed to solve the problem. “I think we ought to go back to the drawing board rather than pursue that,” Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) told reporters when asked about the proposal from Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.). (Sullivan, 10/16)
