Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Perspectives: Taking A Closer Look At Bernie Sanders And Big Pharma
Fox News: The Greed Of Big Pharma Cannot Continue
The American healthcare system is broken. Despite spending twice as much per capita on healthcare as the people of any other nation, nearly $13,000 per person, we have 85 million Americans who are uninsured or underinsured and more than 500,000 households who go bankrupt each year because of medically related bills. Further, while insurance companies make tens of billions a year in profits, we have a major shortage of doctors, nurses, dentists and mental health practitioners. Even with decent insurance it is increasingly difficult for many patients to arrange timely visits with their doctors. (Sen. Bernie Sanders, 6/23)
USA Today: How Bernie Sanders Became An Unlikely Ally Of Big Pharma
Sanders appears to be cooperating with the drug industry on two things it treats as top priorities. The first is pushing an insulin price cap proposal that would impact insurers but not insulin manufacturers themselves (the people who set the actual prices). The second is passing legislation that would target pharmaceutical benefit managers (PBMs), third-party companies that negotiate lower drug prices for subscribers to health insurance plans but which have attracted criticism for being another layer of corporate bureaucracy that adds to the high cost of health care in America. (Liz Mair, 6/28)
The Hill: Three Reforms That Will Lower Medicare Costs And Improve Care
First, roll back the drug price controls in last year’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Allowing Medicare to negotiate the price of prescription drugs has been a priority for the left for years. President Biden spent a full 25 lines in February’s State of the Union bragging about the accomplishment, claiming it as a win for taxpayers and patients. The reality is anything but. (Tomas J. Philipson, 6/25)
Also —
Stat: Podcast: Cancer Drug Shortages Should Be Causing More Outrage
“Patients are already under a lot of stress — they’re dealing with a cancer diagnosis, and they’re terrified. The last thing they want to hear is that something that’s critical to controlling their cancer might not be available, and we’re wondering where the next dose is going to come from,” oncologist Kristen Rice said. (Torie Bosch, /28)
