Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Perspectives: Everyone In America Needs To Be Able To Buy Prescription Drugs; Lessons On Solving Surprise Medical Bills
Boston Globe: Pete Buttigieg: My Bold Plan For Affordable Prescription Drugs
Campaigning recently in Berlin, N.H., I met a man who described being in line behind a woman at the pharmacy who was five dollars short to buy her prescription drugs. He spotted her the five dollars. But he told me, “I’m just worried about what’s going to happen to her next time.” That shouldn’t be possible in this country. And yet we know that even for people who have insurance, the cost of health care and prescription drugs is out of control. (Pete Buttigieg, 10/7)
Stat: Solve Surprise Medical Bills With Benchmarking, Not Arbitration
Surprise medical bills expose Americans to the high prices and occasional greed lurking in the heart of our health care system. Medical insurers typically provide some insulation from these bills by negotiating prices for their in-network patients. In its effort to fix surprise bills, Congress must not undermine this key lever for controlling hospital and doctor bills by instituting an arbitration solution, which is strongly backed by organized medicine, that is now working its way through several Congressional committees. (James Rickert, 10/7)
The Wall Street Journal: Pelosi’s Expensive Drug Bill
With impeachment in high gear, Democrats may not have time or interest to legislate. This is just as well on drug prices, where Nancy Pelosi has proposed price controls and President Trump cheered her on. Mrs. Pelosi’s legislation would direct the secretary of Health and Human Services to “negotiate” a “fair price” with drug manufacturers for the most expensive 250 patent-protected brand drugs. The government would issue a take-or-leave-it offer with a tax sword hanging over drug makers. (10/4)
The Hill: Trump Scores Political Win With Vow To Protect Medicare
Every time President Trump appears intent on self-destruction, he scores a political win that reminds us that his election in 2016 was no accident. With the impeachment inferno consuming all political discourse and scorching those closest to the flames, Trump traveled to Florida recently to warn seniors that “Medicare for All” would destroy Medicare as we know it. (Liz Peek, 10/4)
Fox News: I'm Terrified At The Thought Of What Government-Run Health Care Means For My Children
I'm a mom, two of my four children have a lifetime medical condition. I’ve watched how children like mine suffer in other countries with similar government-run health care schemes. And it terrifies me. (Kristan Hawkins,10/7)
