Author: Devon Herrick

Health Policy Panel Experts Debate Ways to Reduce Health Care Costs

Posted on by Devon Herrick

The Cornell Health Policy Insight Panel is a project of Cornell University, partnering Weill Cornell Medicine and the Brooks School of Public Policy. It involves more than 60 health care and health policy experts who are asked to periodically give their opinions on important policy issues. The panel of experts is diverse, including such free-market health policy luminaries as Michael Cannon (Cato), Brian Blase (Paragon) and Joe Antos (AEI), along with well-respected academics (Jon Gruber, Sherry Glied, Craig Garthwaite, David Cutler, Michael Chernew, Amitabh Chandra, Melinda Buntin, David Blumenmthal, Joe Newhouse, Stephen Parente, Harold Pollack) and about 50 others. 

Yet, opinions are also diverse.

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KFF: Democrats and Republicans Alike Dislike PBMs

Posted on by Devon Herrick

PBMs are essentially volume purchasers of drugs who manage drug benefits for insurers, Medicare, Medicaid, and health plans. PBMs negotiate deals with drug makers, wholesalers, and pharmacies. At least in theory, health plans benefit from the PBM’s buying power. PBMs began innocently enough to buy drugs in bulk at a discount and manage the drug plans for health insurers. Along the way something curious happened. PBMs began to consolidate and drugmakers reported that PBMs began to change their negotiation tactics from bargaining for the best price to instead demanding hefty rebates.

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FDA is Shutting Down Importing Cheap Prescription Drugs for Personal Use

Posted on by Devon Herrick

I’m only on one (inexpensive) prescription drug I pick up from my local pharmacy, but it would be nice to have options. A Texas woman interviewed by the Wall Street Journal currently pays $10 a week for a Canadian prescription drug that costs 100 times more in the United States. She’s not alone. The Wall Street Journal reports more than two million Americans take prescription drugs they ordered from abroad to save money.

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HHS Cracking Down on Obamacare Fraud; but Democrats Cry Foul

Posted on by Devon Herrick

The Trump Administration cancelled the ACA health plans for more than 750,000 enrollments that are suspected of being fraudulent. Democrats immediately criticized the move. For instance, former House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi wrote on social media that “[u]sing the false pretext of fighting fraud to strip Americans of their healthcare is as cynical as it is cruel.” However, it was long overdue.

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