Latest California Healthline Stories
Medi-Cal To Spend Nearly $1 Billion On Hepatitis C Drugs Next Year
Costly meds will be discussed at lawmaker hearing on controversial drug price transparency bill.
Report From Key Agency Raises Concerns About Proposal To Cut Drug Prices
Staff researchers at California’s largest public buyer of health benefits say the goal of reducing drug costs for the state is appealing but might not work in the real world.
State Legislators Push Bill To Inform Patients Of Drug Company Discount Programs
Opponents of the proposal say a requirement to inform consumers of such programs would only boost drug company sales and increase overall health care spending.
Medicare’s Drug-Pricing Experiment Stirs Opposition
A proposal to change the way Medicare pays for some drugs has set off intense reaction and lobbying — all tied to a common theme: How far should the government go in setting prices for prescription drugs?
CalPERS Taps UnitedHealth To Run Its Prescription Drug Business
Controlling costs was a big consideration in awarding the nearly $4.9 billion contract to OptumRx, a unit of the insurance giant.
Three Firms Vie To Run CalPERS’ Drug Benefits
UnitedHealth’s OptumRx is the lowest bidder and wins a key endorsement ahead of final vote by California’s public retirement system.
Five Health Issues Presidential Candidates Aren’t Talking About — But Should Be
The U.S. faces a variety of serious concerns beyond just the future of the federal health law.
Will Rx Ballot Initiative Save Money? Report Offers An Educated Shrug
A ballot measure in November would peg state-paid drug prices to the lowest prices paid by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. But there’s a catch: The VA won’t say what those prices are.
In June, California will become the fifth state to allow terminally ill patients to end their lives with prescriptions from their doctors, but getting those prescriptions will require serious effort.
More Exchange Plans Offer Patients Easier Access To Some Expensive Drugs: Report
The analysis by Avalere examines changes in how silver plans on the insurance marketplaces handle coverage for high-cost specialty drugs.