 Health Care |
Health Care |
|
|
Nonprofits warn against EPIC bill |
The nation's leading senior interest group is coming out staunchly against the bipartisan Ensuring Pathways to Innovative Cures (EPIC) Act, saying the bill will "keep Medicare on the sidelines" just as it began acquiring discounts through negotiations. |
In a letter addressed to the leadership of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee, AARP and Patients For Affordable Drugs (P4AD) warned that the EPIC Act would "keep Medicare on the sidelines for even longer while pharmaceutical manufacturers continue to set outrageous and unjustified prices for drugs seniors need to be healthy." The Inflation Reduction Act stipulates that small molecule drugs — composed of chemicals with a low molecular weight, encompassing most drugs on the market — are eligible for Medicare negotiation seven years after being approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Opponents call this measure the "pill penalty." The EPIC Act, reintroduced by North Carolina Reps. Greg Murphy (R), Don Davis (D) and Richard Hudson (D), would add four years to the period in which a drug is ineligible for negotiation. Ozempic was chosen for negotiation almost immediately as it became eligible in the most recent selection. The lawmakers argue that this provision discourages innovation in the pharmaceutical market. "The pharmaceutical industry argues they should be allowed to charge Americans the highest drug prices in the world because it preserves "incentives for innovation." But the facts tell a different story. Since Medicare has had the power to negotiate better prices for Americans, private investment in small-molecule therapies has actually increased! The market is responding to demand, not retreating from it," AARP stated in its letter. The drug industry is pushing for the EPIC Act to be included in the GOP's reconciliation bill. Earlier this year, PhRMA CEO Steve Ubl said, "Washington must fix the pill penalty that discriminates against medicines that are more affordable, easier to take and often the most effective treatment against cancer and other diseases." But AARP and P4AD argued American taxpayers should reap some discounts on drugs that their dollars helped fund. "It's time we put American patients and taxpayers first. That means ensuring that seniors and patients are not price gouged for medications they helped pay to develop," said AARP. |
|
|
How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond: |
|
|
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Is changing the way vaccines are tested and will now require all new vaccines to undergo safety testing in placebo-controlled trials, meaning that some people will receive the vaccine while others get an inert substance like saline to test the vaccine's efficacy. HHS called the change a "radical departure from past practices" that will increase transparency … |
| |
|
The Trump administration questioned the evidence supporting gender-affirming health care for youth in a lengthy review published Thursday by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that could further upend the nation's transgender care landscape. The roughly 400-page, unsigned review states there is a "lack of robust evidence" supporting interventions such as puberty blockers, hormone therapy and the rare surgeries … |
| |
|
After President Trump's first nominee to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) failed to gain traction with Senate Republicans, he turned to Susan Monarez, a career federal health official who has been leading the agency in an acting capacity since January. Former colleagues told The Hill that Monarez is an effective leader who has championed data-driven work and diversity, which could make her an … |
| |
|
Branch out with a different read: |
|
|
Wiles expects Trump to keep all Cabinet secretaries through first year |
White House chief of staff Susie Wiles expects all of President Trump’s Cabinet secretaries will stay in their posts through the first year of Trump’s second term, she said in a rare interview this week marking Trump’s first 100 days in office. “They're all spectacular performers, spectacular professionals. It's a diverse group, and it's — some of them are very atypical, so you're never quite sure — … |
|
|
Local and state headlines on health care: |
- 94,000 Texas benefit recipients info misused by state employees, health officials say (KERA News)
- North Dakota Senate sustains governor's veto on state health insurance bill (North Dakota Monitor)
- Treatment providers say Oregon health officials' new rule is hurting care (The Lund Report)
|
|
|
Health news we've flagged from other outlets: |
- Sedative 'dex' is replacing 'tranq' in illegal drug supply and causing excruciating withdrawal (Stat)
- Despite pledge to expand naloxone access, Trump administration proposal would cut overdose prevention programs (CNN)
- WHO to back use of weight-loss drugs for adults globally, raises cost issue (Reuters)
|
|
|
Most read stories on The Hill right now: |
|
|
President Trump is tapping national security adviser Mike Waltz to be his ambassador to the United Nations following reports of his ouster in the midst … Read more |
| The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to end deportation protections for more than 600,000 Venezuelans, the administration's … Read more |
|
|
You're all caught up. See you tomorrow! |
400 N Capitol Street NW Suite 650, Washington, DC 20001 |
Copyright © 1998 - 2025 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. |
|
|
|
If you believe this has been sent to you in error, please safely unsubscribe.
No comments:
Post a Comment