Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Senator Calls Mylan's Settlement 'Unacceptable,' Urges Justice Department To Reject It
The Hill: Dem Calls On DOJ To Reject EpiPen Settlement
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) is calling on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to reject a settlement with the maker of EpiPens and instead press on with its investigation of the company, Mylan. Blumenthal's call comes after an announcement by Mylan earlier this month that it had reached a $465 million settlement with the DOJ over claims that the company overcharged the Medicaid program for years by misclassifying EpiPens as the wrong type of drug. (Sullivan, 10/17)
Morning Consult: Democratic Senator Calls For DOJ To Reject Mylan Settlement
Sen. Richard Blumenthal urged the Department of Justice to reject a settlement with Mylan Pharmaceuticals, saying in a letter released Monday that an agreement announced earlier this month is inadequate. The Connecticut Democrat has been one of the most vocal lawmakers on the EpiPen drug pricing issue. ... The proposed agreement, under which Mylan would pay the government $465 million and admits no wrongdoing about how much it paid Medicaid, “is a shadow of what it should be,” Blumenthal says. (McIntire, 10/17)
In other pharmaceutical news —
Kaiser Health News: 7 Insurers Alleged To Use Skimpy Drug Coverage To Discourage HIV Patients
The health law prohibits insurers from discriminating against people with serious illnesses, but some marketplace plans sidestep that taboo by making the drugs that people with HIV need unavailable or unaffordable, complaints filed recently with the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights allege. The effect may be to discourage people with HIV from buying a particular plan or getting the treatment they need, according to the complaint. (Andrews, 10/18)
