Senate Democrats Try Again With Plan To Let Medicare Negotiate Drug Prices
The proposal builds on a plan negotiated by moderate Democrats in November, which would have required the Department of Health and Human Services to negotiate prices within certain limits for up to 20 of the highest-cost drugs — plus insulin — in the Part B outpatient program and the Part D drug program, Roll Call reported.
Roll Call:
Senate Drafts Last-Ditch Drug Pricing Plan Ahead Of Midterms
Senate Democrats are scraping together a last-minute plan to let Medicare negotiate prices directly with manufacturers for some prescription drugs ahead of the midterm elections, according to a summary of the plan obtained by CQ Roll Call. The effort attempts to revive a key piece of Democrats’ sweeping social spending and climate bill after intra-party divisions killed the original legislation. (Clason, 6/30)
Stat:
Democrats Tweak Their Drug Pricing Plan In Last-Ditch Effort To Pass Reforms
Senate Democrats are vetting a new, tweaked version of a drug pricing package as they hurtle toward a September deadline to pass any major reforms. It’s by no means certain that Congress will pass prescription drug pricing reform as part of a broader domestic policy package being hammered out between Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and moderate Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.), but this week, the chances are looking better than ever. (Cohrs, 6/30)
On cost transparency —
Axios:
Consumers Will Soon Get Access To Huge Amounts Of Health Care Price Data
Patients will soon have a clearer picture of what insurers and employers pay for health care thanks to a federal rule that kicks in today — if a collection of health tech companies can make the trove of data understandable. (Reed, 7/1)
KHN:
How Much Health Insurers Pay For Almost Everything Is About To Go Public
Consumers, employers, and just about everyone else interested in health care prices will soon get an unprecedented look at what insurers pay for care, perhaps helping answer a question that has long dogged those who buy insurance: Are we getting the best deal we can? As of July 1, health insurers and self-insured employers must post on websites just about every price they’ve negotiated with providers for health care services, item by item. About the only thing excluded are the prices paid for prescription drugs, except those administered in hospitals or doctors’ offices. (Appleby, 7/1)
On medical debt —
AP:
Some Medical Debt Is Being Removed From US Credit Reports
Help is coming for many people with medical debt on their credit reports. Starting Friday, the three major U.S. credit reporting companies will stop counting paid medical debt on the reports that banks, potential landlords and others use to judge creditworthiness. The companies also will start giving people a year to resolve delinquent medical debt that has been sent to collections before reporting it — up from six months previously. (Murphy, 6/30)
KHN:
How To Get Rid Of Medical Debt — Or Avoid It In The First Place
Lori Mangum was 32 when apple-size tumors sprouted on her head. Now — six years and 10 surgeries later — the skin cancer is gone. But her pain lives on, in the form of medical debt. Even with insurance, Mangum paid $36,000 out-of-pocket, charges that stemmed from the hospital, the surgeon, the anesthesiologist, the pharmacy, and follow-up care. And she still has about $7,000 more to pay. (Noguchi, 7/1)
