Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
PhRMA Files Lawsuit Challenging Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Law
Stat: PhRMA Sues HHS Over Medicare Drug Price Negotiation
After losing the drug pricing fight on Capitol Hill, PhRMA is taking its battle to the courts. The pharmaceutical industry’s biggest lobbying group on Wednesday filed a long-expected lawsuit challenging Democrats’ drug pricing law that allowed Medicare to start negotiating prices for certain medicines. (Cohrs, 6/21)
Axios: PhRMA Lawsuit Challenges Biden's Drug Law In Friendly Territory
The top lobbying organization for the pharmaceutical industry yesterday filed the fourth lawsuit challenging Democrats' law that gives Medicare the power to negotiate the prices of certain drugs, this time in a Texas district court. More lawsuits give the industry more opportunities for success. And filing in this particular court means the case would run through the staunchly conservative 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. (Owens, 6/22)
More on the debate over PBMs —
Stat: PBMs Criticized As Pushing Small Pharmacies Out Of Business
Drug middlemen once again were on the hot seat at a congressional hearing on Wednesday. The hearing by the House Education and Workforce health subcommittee was about consolidation in the hospital and health insurance sectors. No hospital or insurance company representatives testified, but JC Scott, president of the pharmacy benefit manager lobbying group Pharmaceutical Care Management Association was tapped as a witness. (Wilkerson, 6/21)
Modern Healthcare: Express Scripts Tricare False Claims Act Lawsuit Dismissed
A federal judge has dismissed a False Claims Act case against Express Scripts that accused the pharmacy benefit manager of providing excessive and medically unnecessary prescription drug refills to military personnel and families and scamming taxpayers out of billions of dollars. Judge Todd Robinson of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California wrote in a filing submitted Friday that the dismissal was warranted under the public-disclosure bar, meaning similar claims were made public prior to the lawsuit. (Berryman, 6/21)
In military health news —
Military.com: Lawmakers Advance Bill To Let Disabled Vets Collect Full Benefits, But Hurdles To Passage Remain
A key House panel has for the first time advanced a bill that would dramatically expand benefits for veterans injured in combat. In a voice vote Wednesday, the House Armed Services Committee approved the Major Richard Star Act, which would ensure service members who medically retire before 20 years have full access to both military retirement pay and Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits. (Kheel, 6/21)
Military.com: Veterans Can Now Use VA Info Line To Report Sexual Assault, Harassment
Veterans and visitors to VA facilities can now report incidents of sexual harassment or assault that occur on campus by calling the Department of Veterans Affairs' 1-800-MyVA411 information line. Officials announced Wednesday that the call center, established in 2019 to provide information on VA health care services, disability compensation and education benefits and serve as a venue to receive veterans' concerns, will take confidential reports on incidents of rape, assault or harassment. (Kime, 6/21)
In other health news from Capitol Hill —
Stat: GOP Inquiry Over Gain-Of-Function Research Targets A Scientific Giant
For more than half a century, scientist Bernard Moss has been commanding the attention of peers interested in prying biological secrets from poxviruses and other microbiological targets. Now he’s commanding the attention of a different audience: House Republicans. (Branswell, 6/22)
Stat: Doctors' Lobby Fights Expanding Open Access To Research
Doctors’ lobbyists in Washington tend to focus their energies on ensuring Medicare pays well, and on issues like so-called scope of practice laws. But in the early aughts, the American Medical Association had a surprising new focus: PubMed Central. (Trang, 6/22)
Axios: Federal Health Care Rulings Highlight Court Shopping
A handful of conservative judges, mostly in the South, are wielding outsized influence over health care policy in the Biden era. Thanks in part to former President Trump's record of judicial appointments, conservatives have ended up with an express lane of friendly judges who have issued sweeping decisions. (Gonzalez, 6/22)
