Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Perverse Supply-Chain Incentives, Limited Competition Lead To Artificially High Prices, Congressional Report Finds
The Hill: Congressional Report Says Insulin Market Benefits Drugmakers And Insurers, Not Patients
“Perverse” incentives in the insulin supply chain lead to artificially high prices, as well as limited competition in the markets, according to a bipartisan report released Thursday by two lawmakers. The report from Reps. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) and Tom Reed (R-N.Y.), co-chairs of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus, took more than a year to complete and concluded that several factors drive insulin prices up, while forces that would typically drive prices down are “blunted.” (Hellmann, 11/1)
Stat: A New Bipartisan Plan To Bring Down Insulin Prices Centers On Drug Makers
A bipartisan group of more than 290 lawmakers is throwing its support behind some of the drug industry’s least favorite proposals for bringing down the cost of insulin. Parts of the report — released Thursday by the Congressional Diabetes Caucus — read like a laundry list of the drug industry’s worst fears: It pitches everything from legislation requiring drug companies to disclose how they set their prices to legislation that dings drug makers who can’t prove that a new version of insulin is more effective than an older one. (Florko, 11/1)
CQ: Congress To Renew HIV/AIDS Effort As Is Despite Call For Change
Congress is on the verge of renewing one of the most successful and popular federal efforts on HIV/AIDS ever launched, but some say lawmakers are missing an opportunity to improve a program whose funding has been flat in the face of an evolving epidemic. While funding for global HIV/AIDS programs could see an increase for the first time since 2014, some advocates question whether the U.S. is approaching the fight against the disease in the right way. (Siddons, 11/2)
