Author's posts
Rising Out-Of-Pocket Costs For Insulin Indicates Market Failure
Diabetes patients’ cost-sharing is increasing as PBMs and health plans are paying less for insulin products. While this situation defies logic, it reflects an imperfect market in which it’s not necessarily in the PBMs’ and health plans’ interests to en…
Hospital Pricing Practices: Transparency And Clarity Are Lacking
Since 2015, the average pace of hospital and physician expenditures has exceeded prescription drugs. Legislators are attempting to pry open the black box of hospital costs. Per the 1st of January a new law requires all U.S. hospitals to post complete p…
Healthcare Reformers Should Look To Europe For Feasible Alternatives To Medicare For All
Rather than taking its cue from our northern neighbors, or the British National Health Services, it makes more sense for the healthcare reform movement to consider what is being done on the European continent.
Esketamine Faces Challenges In Its Quest To Be A Breakthrough Drug Against Suicidal Ideation
Esketamine could turn out to be a major breakthrough, in particular, with respect to suicidal depression. But, the drug faces several significant clinical as well as economic challenges.
FDA Commissioner Gottlieb’s Resignation Leaves A Void
Earlier this week, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb announced he will soon be stepping down. Gottlieb’s departure leaves a void, as his hands-on, proactive approach made a substantial impact on many of today’s most importa…
Prescription Drug Pricing Hearing: Is The Senate Probing In The Wrong Place?
Last week a Senate hearing was held on prescription drug prices. To be constructive the Senate should not only probe the pricing of prescription drugs by pharmaceutical manufacturers, it should also investigate the billing and pricing practices of hosp…
HHS’s Multi-Pronged Approach To Lower Drug Prices: Will It Work?
HHS has put forward a series of initiatives aimed at lowering drug prices, Medicare expenditures, and patient cost-sharing. The proposals run the gamut, from increasing transparency of net pricing, to allowing use of formulary tools previously off limi…
Medicare For All: Is The U.S. Headed In That Direction?
Medicare for All would expand Medicare to all U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents and abolish the current system of employer-provided coverage. Cutting through the polarized rhetoric spewed on both sides of the aisle what is far more likely to …
Medicinal Cannabis: More Data Needed On Clinical- And Cost-Effectiveness
In the U.S., at the state level, there has been a tremendous groundswell of support in recent years for the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. The growing medicinal use of cannabis in the U.S. cries out for more evidence, particularly since an inc…
New Reinsurance Model In Medicare Part D
CMS is proposing a voluntary, 5-year model that would target rising reinsurance costs in Part D. Participating plans would be issued a target level of spending in the catastrophic segment of the Part D benefit. Plans would reap savings from spending le…
