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What We’re Reading: EU Proposes Drug Overhaul; Potential New Rules From CMS; Paying New Antibiotic Developers
The European Union has proposed the biggest drug overhaul in 20 years, prompting industry conflict; CMS has proposed 2 new rules focused on increasing care access and quality of care for people enrolled in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program; proposed legislation would promise $6 billion for treatments of drug-resistant infections that win approval.
EU Proposes Drug Law Overhaul, Inciting Industry Conflict
On Wednesday, Brussels published a long-anticipated draft of its proposed revamp of laws governing the European Union’s pharmaceuticals industry, inciting warnings from drugmakers that they’ll invest and innovate somewhere else, reports Reuters. The proposal looks to cut the length of basic market exclusivity that drugmakers get before generics can join the market from 10 to 8 years, and companies would get 2 more years of protection if they launch their new drugs in all 27 member states within 2 years, in the biggest overhaul of existing medical laws in 20 years.
CMS’ Introduces Medicaid, CHIP Proposals
CMS proposed 2 new rules Thursday afternoon that broadly focus on expanding access to care, quality of care, and opportunities to offer feedback for people enrolled in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) fee-for-service and managed care plans, according to Fierce Healthcare. Some changes are designed to align delivery of services covered under the programs with their commercial counterparts, said officials, like a national maximum appointment wait time standard and stronger state monitoring and reporting requirements.
Congress Might Compensate Manufacturers of New Antibiotics
A bipartisan group of US senators and representatives has presented legislation intended to encourage drugmakers to create antibiotics and antifungal drugs to address a rising public-health threat, reported The Wall Street Journal. The proposed bills would commit $6 billion to the purchase of new drugs to treat drug-resistant bacteria and fungi that federal officials designate as vitally important targets and set up a committee of federal officials to collaborate with patients and doctors to decide which new treatments approved by the FDA the federal government should purchase, with manufacturers potentially able to receive $750 million to $3 billion for new drugs over several years. The drugs would be free to Medicare and Medicaid patients and veterans receiving health benefits from the VA system.
Tackling Health Inequality: The Power of Education and Experience
April 30th 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. Welcome to our final episode of this limited series and our conversation with Janine Jelks-Seale, MSPPM, director of health equity at UPMC Health Plan.
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Examining Low-Value Cancer Care Trends Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
April 25th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the April 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on the rates of low-value cancer care services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Industry Experts Tackle Specialty Drug Access Challenges for Employer Benefit Plans
May 2nd 2024Representatives from ICON plc and Symphony Health joined forces at AXS24 to discuss the challenges of managing high-cost specialty drugs and how they influence self-funded employer benefit plan design and employee access to specialty medications.
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