Drug Costs Archives - Page 7 of 35

When an Anti-Vaccine Activist Runs for President

Episode 299

May 25, 2023

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s official entry into the presidential race poses a thorny challenge for journalists: how to cover a candidate who’s opposed to vaccines without amplifying misinformation. And South Carolina becomes the latest state in the South to ban abortion after roughly six weeks of pregnancy. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Rachel Cohrs of Stat, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News senior correspondent Aneri Pattani about her project to track the billions of dollars coming from opioid makers to settle lawsuits.

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An illustration of three pill capsules filled with dollar bills.

This Panel Will Decide Whose Medicine to Make Affordable. Its Choice Will Be Tricky.

Colorado’s new Prescription Drug Affordability Board could cap what health plans and consumers pay for certain medications starting next year. The process will pit patient groups against one another.

By Markian Hawryluk

May 25, 2023

A photo of packages of pills on a conveyor belt in a factory.

A More Aggressive FTC Is Starting to Target Drug Mergers and Industry Middlemen

Industry analysts are skeptical that Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan can win her first fight against a drug industry merger. It will be reviewed by a judge appointed by then-President Donald Trump.

By Arthur Allen

May 22, 2023

KFF Health News & PolitiFact HealthCheck

Are US Prescription Drug Prices 10 Times Those of Other Nations? Only Sometimes

Sen. Bernie Sanders’ broad statement that some U.S. drug prices are 10 times those of other nations doesn’t paint the full picture. Studies we examined generally found that U.S. prices were two to four times those in other countries, not 10.

By Michelle Andrews

May 19, 2023

A photo of a line of health industry executives sitting next to each other during a Senate HELP Committee hearing.

PBMs, the Brokers Who Control Drug Prices, Finally Get Washington’s Attention

Drugmakers, pharmacies, and physicians blame pharmacy benefit managers for high drug prices. Congress is finally on board, too, but will it matter?

By Arthur Allen

May 11, 2023

What the Health? From KFF Health News

Dancing Under the Debt Ceiling

Episode 295

April 27, 2023

House Republicans passed their plan to raise the nation’s debt ceiling, along with major cuts to health (and other domestic) programs. Unlikely to become law, it calls for new work requirements for adults on Medicaid. Meanwhile, state efforts targeting trans people bear a striking resemblance to the fight against abortion rights. Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Renuka Rayasam, who reported the latest KFF Health News-NPR “Bill of the Month” feature, about a specialist’s demand to be paid as much as $15,000 before treating a woman’s serious pregnancy complication.

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What the Health? From KFF Health News

Will They or Won’t They (Block the Abortion Pill)?

Episode 294

April 20, 2023

The Supreme Court is considering the future of the abortion pill mifepristone, after GenBioPro sued the FDA over limitations that effectively block generic production of the drug, a major part of the market. Congress is considering proposals that would impose Medicaid work requirements, crack down on pharmacy benefit managers, and more. And President Joe Biden moved to expand health coverage to young immigrants known as “Dreamers.” Rachel Cohrs of Stat, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico join KFF Health News’ Mary Agnes Carey to discuss these issues and more.

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Social Media Is Fueling Enthusiasm for New Weight Loss Drugs. Are Regulators Watching?

Online platforms are overflowing with testimonials for GLP-1s. The drugs show promise for inducing weight loss, but many aren’t FDA-approved for that use.

By Darius Tahir and Hannah Norman

April 18, 2023

What the Health? From KFF Health News

The Confusing Fate of the Abortion Pill

Episode 293

April 13, 2023

The legality and availability of the abortion pill mifepristone is in question after a federal judge in Texas canceled the FDA’s approval of the first drug used in the two-drug medication abortion regimen. A 5th Circuit Court of Appeals panel overruled that decision in part, saying the pill should remain available, but only under the onerous restrictions in place before 2016. Meanwhile, another federal judge in Washington state issued a ruling in a separate case that conflicts with the Texas decision, ordering the FDA not to roll back any of its restrictions on the drug. Victoria Knight of Axios, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.

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A photo of Horizon Therapeutics' CEO speaking at an event.

The Drug Company That Prospered Without Creating Any Drugs

Horizon Therapeutics, which Amgen is acquiring for about $28 billion, grew large by snapping up cheap drugs from other companies, marketing them to perfection, and jacking up prices.

By Arthur Allen

April 13, 2023

KHN On Air

Journalists Delve Into Insulin Costs and Prior Authorization Policy

KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.

March 25, 2023

A photo of Senator Bernie Sanders and Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel shaking hands.

Sen. Sanders Shows Fire, but Seeks Modest Goals, in His Debut Drug Hearing as Health Chair

The Vermont independent and former presidential candidate was all fire and brimstone at his first hearing on drug prices as head of the Senate HELP Committee. He also pursued a more modest goal of covid vaccine price reductions. It isn’t clear whether Sanders will succeed in even that, but he has put affordability front and center.

By Arthur Allen

March 23, 2023

A photo of a syringe and an insulin vial.

California Picks Generic Drug Company Civica to Produce Low-Cost Insulin

Gov. Gavin Newsom, who blasted pharmaceutical companies for gouging Californians, is moving ahead with state-branded insulin. He’s also eyeing other generic drugs.

By Angela Hart

March 18, 2023

A photo of protesters holding signs that read, "Stop pharma's price abuse" and "Diabetes community dying."

Why Does Insulin Cost So Much? Big Pharma Isn’t the Only Player Driving Prices

Big Pharma may be moving on from squeezing diabetes patients on insulin prices, but it’s the arbitrators that jack up prices for those who can least afford them.

By Arthur Allen

March 9, 2023

What the Health? From KFF Health News

March Medicaid Madness

Episode 287

March 2, 2023

President Joe Biden and Republicans in Congress spent last month sparring over whether to shield Medicare and Social Security from budget cuts — leading some to wonder if Medicaid was on the table instead. Biden and Democrats say no, but some Republicans seem eager to trim federal spending on the health program for Americans with low incomes. And ready or not, artificial intelligence is coming to medical care. Benefits, as well as unintended consequences, are likely. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Rachel Cohrs of STAT News, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post join KHN’s chief Washington correspondent, Julie Rovner, to discuss these issues and more.

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Eli Lilly Slashed Insulin Prices. This Starts a Race to the Bottom.

Eli Lilly's news that it plans to cut insulin costs for patients will help, not hinder, the recent efforts in California and by entrepreneurs such as Mark Cuban to offer lower-cost alternatives, drug pricing experts said.

By Bram Sable-Smith and Samantha Young

March 2, 2023

Carolina Morga Tapia stands outside in a park with her five children. Two of the youngest are sitting in a green wagon.

Faces of Medi-Cal

California’s Massive Medicaid Program Works for Some, but Fails Many Others

Medi-Cal serves more than one-third of the state’s population — offering a dizzying range of care to a diverse population. In the new “Faces of Medi-Cal” series, California Healthline will assess the program’s strengths and weaknesses through the lives and experiences of its enrollees.

By Angela Hart and Bernard J. Wolfson

March 2, 2023

A photo shows a box containing an EpiPen.

After Capping Insulin Copays, Colorado Sets Its Sights on EpiPens

Colorado’s proposed legislation to cap the copay for the EpiPen is part of a nationwide trend as more states try to shield patients from skyrocketing drug prices.

By Helen Santoro

Feb. 27, 2023

A photo shows an older woman sitting in a chair and looking to the left.

A Bitter Battle Over the ‘Orphan Drug’ Program Leaves Patients’ Pocketbooks at Risk

Patients who depend upon special drugs to treat rare diseases are caught in the crossfire as drugmakers and the FDA battle over regulations that reward companies for developing treatments for relatively small pools of patients.

By Sarah Jane Tribble

Feb. 22, 2023