April 15, 2015—The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General has told two members of Congress that it plans to determine the amount of additional rebates Medicaid would have received if generic drugs were subject to the same penalty as brand-name drugs when their prices rise faster than the rate of inflation. … [Read more...]
U.S. Drug Spending Soared 13% Last Year to $374 Billion
Study cites expensive new specialty meds as a primary driverApril 14, 2015—U.S. drug spending increased by 13 percent in 2014 to just under $374 billion – the biggest year-to-year spike since 2001, according to a new report. … [Read more...]
Cancer Drug Prices “Not Rational”
Drug companies and private cancer clinics often point fingers at safety-net hospitals in the 340B program for the rising cost of cancer care. A new study in JAMA Oncology, however, lays the blame back on industry's doorstep. With new cancer drugs now routinely costing more than $100,000 a year, researchers at the National Cancer Institute set out to learn whether such prices … [Read more...]
Experts Decry “Unsustainable” Drug Prices
Consensus emerges on need for drug payments to reflect valueApril 9, 2015—The coming "tsunami" of high-priced specialty drugs for cancer and other chronic conditions threatens to undermine the U.S. healthcare system's financial integrity, a panel representing physicians, patients, and payers warned at a Capitol Hill briefing today organized by the Campaign for Sustainable Rx Pricing. … [Read more...]
340B Rule on Civil Fines for Drugmakers Moves Closer to Release
HRSA sends proposed regulation to White House for reviewApril 8, 2015—The Health Resources and Services Administration took a step this morning toward launching a long-delayed system of civil fines for drugmakers that deliberately overcharge for 340B drugs, plus guidance on the calculation of 340B ceiling prices. … [Read more...]
HRSA Strikes Three Off List of Drugmakers Denying 340B Pricing on Orphan Meds
CMS wants states to know Medicaid rebates are available on non-340B-discounted orphan productsApril 2, 2015—The Health Resources and Services Administration has removed three drugmakers from its list of those that do not provide 340B pricing on orphan drugs to rural and cancer hospitals. … [Read more...]
Biosimilars Treated Like Brand-Name Drugs for 340B Discounts
CMS decision about classification for rebates carries over into 340B programApril 1, 2015—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced a policy decision about Medicaid drug rebates this week that will result in safety-net healthcare providers getting the same 340B discount percentage on biosimilar medicines as they receive on brand-name drugs. … [Read more...]