Health Care Cost

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026 acts as a first step in addressing prescription drug pricing challenges related to the role of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).

From prior authorization delays to PBM reforms and Medicaid gaps, experts track policy shifts that shape health equity and health care access nationwide.

Oral semaglutide (Wegovy; Novo Nordisk) expands GLP-1 weight-loss options, but pharmacy budgets and health care cost pressures persist.

First announced in September 2025, the online platform is set to offer access to prescription medications at steep discounts, with potential savings in the millions.

Oral Wegovy shifts GLP-1 obesity costs: insurance may match injectables, while cash-pay and pharmacy platforms unlock lower prices and aid programs.

The FTC first sued Express Scripts, CVS Caremark, and Optum in 2024, claiming anticompetitive and unfair rebating practices surrounding insulin.

Finance Committee leaders propose expanding Medicare negotiation, curbing middlemen, and reinvesting in biomedical innovation as part of a 2026 health care affordability strategy.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026 features new language that could change the way that pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) operate in the US.

Increasing Medicare Advantage payments for full Medicaid enrollees was not associated with meaningful changes in inpatient or nursing home use.

The Orphan Drug Act revolutionized rare disease treatment, yet rising costs and access issues challenge equitable health care solutions.

Prior authorization remains a major health care barrier, causing delays and frustrations for insured adults seeking necessary treatments.

Explore critical health equity issues as barriers to care access and health disparities that impact treatment for allergic rhinitis and childhood vaccinations.

The upcoming price negotiations are the third cycle since the Inflation Reduction Act was passed in 2022.

CMS’s 2027 proposed MA payment rate increase of .09% falls short of expectations, potentially increasing premiums and reducing benefits for seniors.

Adults who are underweight, overweight, or obese face higher medical expenditures, varying by age, sex, and care setting.

Research reveals that socioeconomic status significantly impacts survival rates in young adults with metastatic colorectal cancer, emphasizing the need for health equity initiatives.

Health outcomes and inpatient costs improved for veterans when the federal government invested in preventing homelessness.

The CEOs of UnitedHealth Group, CVS Health, Elevance Health, The Cigna Group, and Ascendiun attended hearings in the House of Representatives all day Thursday.

Chronic gastrointestinal disorders are common and costly for employers. Use of a digital digestive care program was associated with reduced health care spending.

The decline in primary care providers threatens Medicare FFS patients' access to new visits, highlighting urgent needs for policy reform and workforce solutions.

NAMI's National Director of Government Relations and Policy, Jennifer Snow, MPA, explains how advocates rallied in support of mental health care.

France approved botensilimab plus balstilimab for select ovarian cancers and soft tissue sarcomas, expanding early access to this dual immunotherapy.

As clinical trial activity accelerates and trial designs grow more complex, new data highlight persistent challenges with feasibility, enrollment, and early termination.

Jose Guzman Garcia, PharmD, MHA, BCCCP, discusses key pharmacy initiatives at UC Davis Health.

With ACA subsidies in limbo, ICHRAs may reshape how Americans access coverage. Here are 5 FAQs explaining what they are, who benefits, and key trade-offs.