In this week’s Innovation Partners BioBlog, we look at top stories impacting the world of healthcare especially those affected by politics and legislation. Senator Pelosi pushes for passage of her bill to lower drug prices but opponents believe it will stifle innovation and the development of new drugs. The Trump Administration delayed the start of the new primary care model. And many incumbents are balking at Trump’s drug impact bill. These and more top stories in this week’s Innovation Partners BioBlog.
Humana’s Broussard: Payers need to support providers in transition to value-based care
Humana said that as part of helping with the financial risk of value-based care, payers should help providers with both technology and resources. Not every provider is ready to assume the risk of value-based care; payers can help offset some of that risk, to everyone’s mutual benefit. Both commercial and government payers are trying to ease the transition into value-based care, which is based on outcomes rather than fee-for-services.
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Amgen escalates PCSK9 pricing war with permanent 60% price cut on Repatha
Amgen is making good on promises to lower its PCSK9 cholesterol drug, Repatha. The company vowed last year to do away with the $14,520 price tag for the drug by 2020. The company had lowered the cost for some to $5,850 this year. They announced now that all will pay the lower price of $5,850. The company said the change is to help Medicare patients who, if the change had not gone through, would have paid high out-of-pocket costs.
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Trump administration delays start of new primary care payment model to 2021
Although the Trump administration originally proposed a start date of 2020 for the Primary Care First payment model, they announced a delay until 2021. The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) released a request for applications for the five-year model, which would use an innovative payment structure to reward physicians in smaller practices for value-based care. The model will be offered across 26 regions. CMS stated that the delay is intended to give groups more time to consider participation.
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FiercePharmaPolitics—Pelosi bill goes to full House, anti-importation campaign backed by PhRMA
Experts believe that Senator Nancy Pelosi’s drug pricing bill is unlikely to pass the Senate. Pelosi’s plan might prevent 8 to 15 drugs from reaching the market over the next 10 years in order to reduce prices. Opponents believe that forcing drug makers to reduce prices will stifle innovation. Proponents believe the trade off is worth it since Pelosi’s plan is expected to save $345 billion over a 10-year period. The proposal calls for government regulation of up to 250 drugs per year with financial penalties to force drugmakers to cooperate.
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Overnight Health Care: Walden won’t seek reelection | Senate Dems to vote this week to overturn Trump ObamaCare moves | Largest children’s migrant shelter to close | Vulnerable Republicans balk at drug pricing bill
A roundup of top stories: Republican Rep. Greg Walden won’t seek re-election. In the last Congress, Walden was chairman of the full committee, which has great power over health care issues in the House. Senate Democratic leaders said they will force a floor vote as early as Wednesday in an attempt to overturn a Trump administration rule that allows states to ignore parts of ObamaCare. And Democratic Senator Kamala Harris spoke about her views on healthcare.
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Vulnerable Republicans balk at Trump-backed drug pricing bill
Republican senators who are up for re-election this year are snubbing the bipartisan bill aimed at lowering drug prices. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is pushing for passage of his measure with Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) to lower drug prices, something seen as a rare area for possible bipartisan agreement this year. Many of the incumbents declined to support the bill.
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