2020 Contenders In Something Of An Arms Race To Take On ‘Big Pharma’ And Drug Prices
Drug pricing is a hot topic that voters care deeply about, and many of the 2020 Democratic hopefuls want to get ahead of their competitors with splashy bills taking on the pharmaceutical industry. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is just the latest to announce legislation that would tackle the high prices, which would include a measure pegging U.S. prescription drug prices to the median price from five countries where drug costs are typically far lower.
Stat:
Democrats Eyeing 2020 Put An Early Spotlight On Drug Prices
As they jostle to position themselves for 2020, many Democratic presidential hopefuls have suddenly zeroed in on a narrow policy target: prescription drug prices. Sen. Bernie Sanders called his first press conference since the midterms not to discuss President Trump’s quest for a wall or tout universalized health coverage, but to unveil a proposal to lower drug prices that mirrors one of Trump’s own. Sen. Cory Booker dialed up his own rhetoric to campaign-trail levels, decrying high drug prices as “a stain on the very idea of America.” The House Oversight Committee, too, set drug prices atop its own agenda, scheduling a hearing on that issue that will occur more than a week before it calls former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen to testify. (Facher, 1/11)
Reuters:
Sen. Sanders, Rep. Cummings Introduce Bill To Lower U.S. Drug Prices
U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Elijah Cummings introduced legislation on Thursday aimed at lowering the cost of prescription drugs for American consumers, critiquing President Donald Trump administration’s efforts to curb medicine prices. (Abutaleb, 1/10)
The Associated Press:
Liberals Dare Trump To Back Their Bills Lowering Drug Prices
Challenging President Donald Trump to make good on his pledge to cut prescription drug prices, congressional liberals proposed legislation Thursday to bring U.S. prices in line with the much lower costs in other countries. The Democratic bills stand little chance of becoming law in a divided government. But the effort could put Republicans on the defensive by echoing Trump's pledge to force drugmakers to cut prices. (1/10)
In other pharmaceutical news —
Stat:
Drug Pricing Advocates To Spend $1M On Ads Supporting Trump Proposal
A drug pricing advocacy group on Thursday announced a roughly $1 million ad campaign to boost a Trump administration proposal to align American drug prices with those in other wealthy nations, providing an outside boost to a policy concept that the drug industry has vocally opposed. The same advocacy group, Patients for Affordable Drugs, spent $10 million via its political arm to endorse midterm election candidates it said were working to lower drug costs — and to oppose candidates it said were in bed with industry. (Facher, 1/10)
The Washington Post:
Louisiana Adopts ‘Netflix’ Model To Pay For Hepatitis C Drugs
Louisiana officials announced Thursday that their state would become the first to move forward with a new way to pay for expensive hepatitis C treatments, which could dramatically increase the number of people who can be cured of the liver-damaging disease and provide a model for others struggling to afford the medications. Instead of paying for each prescription individually, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) said the state would essentially pay a subscription fee to a drug company, an alternative payment arrangement that has become known as the “Netflix model.” The state would then get unlimited access to the drug, similar to how consumers pay a monthly fee to stream unlimited television shows and movies. (Johnson, 1/10)