Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Survey: 36% Of Americans Skip Medications So They Can Pay Bills
Becker's Hospital Review: 36% Of Americans Forgo Medications To Pay For Essentials, Survey Says
Many Americans are making difficult personal finance decisions to deal with the country's ever-rising medication costs, according to recent survey results released by healthcare software company CoverMyMeds. CoverMyMeds surveyed patients, providers and pharmacists during September and October. One thousand patients, 400 providers and 328 pharmacists participated in the survey; the results were released Jan. 25. (Adams, 2/15)
Becker's Hospital Review: 43% Of Patients Say They Check A Pharmacy Comparison App For Prescription Savings
Americans are becoming increasingly curious about ways to lower their prescription drug costs, according to recent survey results released by healthcare software company CoverMyMeds. CoverMyMeds surveyed patients, providers and pharmacists during September and October. One thousand patients, 400 providers and 328 pharmacists participated in the survey, the results of which were released Jan. 25. (Adams, 2/15)
Becker's Hospital Review: Research: Lower Medication Use, Higher Mortality Linked With Increased Cost-Sharing
When health insurers increase cost-sharing for members, it can result in several negative health outcomes and higher mortality, according to a working paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research. The working paper, authored by researchers from Cambridge, Mass.-based Harvard University and the University of California at Berkeley, analyzed enrollees who were in Medicare's prescription drug program from 2007-12. (Haefner, 2/15)
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Houston Chronicle: How Texans Can Work Together To Solve The Health Care Cost Equation
Houston had the first hospital-based air ambulance service in Texas and the first mobile stroke unit in the U.S. For decades, Houston has been a national, even global, leader in innovation with a focus on advancing health. Unfortunately, today, we are also leading in an area where being first is not an indicator of progress: a growing number of Houstonians are uninsured. (Callender, 2/12)
PolitiFact: Walker Exaggerates Effect Of Trump Drug Order, Biden Freeze
A Republican running for U.S. Senate in North Carolina says Joe Biden is already raising drug prices for some of the most vulnerable Americans. Former Congressman Mark Walker hopes to replace U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, who won’t seek reelection next year. (Putterman and Specht, 2/11)
Stat: Senators Want GAO To Probe The Role Of PBMs In Prescription Drug Pricing
In a bid to contain prescription drug prices, a pair of U.S. senators is re-introducing a bill to have the Government Accountability Office probe the role of pharmacy benefit managers in the opaque pharmaceutical supply chain. The legislation is only the latest effort to focus on these controversial middlemen, which create formularies, or lists of medicines that are covered by insurance. In the process, pharmacy benefit managers collect rebates from drug makers, a controversial tactic because the deals are blamed for rising drug prices, but the amounts are kept confidential. (Silverman, 2/16)
