Allison Inserro

March 18, 2019

The administration said the update to the dashboards is part of its effort to improve transparency around drug pricing; the administration also wants to shift some Part B coverage to Part D as part of its plan to reduce total drug spending, with the idea that Part D plan sponsors would have more negotiating room with pharmaceutical companies.

March 13, 2019

Patients using expensive specialty medications, such as those that treat inflammatory diseases, are particularly impacted by pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) rebates, given the relationship of rebates to price. In the case of biosimilars, rebate strategies may lead to reference biologics being placed on preferred formularies in the United States while less expensive options are kept off the formulary.

March 12, 2019

A recent meta-analysis of reference filgrastim’s (Neupogen) role in chemotherapy since its approval in 1991 shows how the definition of value has evolved over time as biosimilars for granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (G-CSF) entered the market.

March 11, 2019

A survey of health plan benefit sponsors representing employers found that most are using prior authorization (PA) or step therapy to encourage the use of biosimilars, but fewer are considering mandatory switching, cost-sharing differentials, or higher cost-sharing for reference biologics for new patients, according to a report from The Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute.

March 08, 2019

Two senators from either side of the aisle introduced a bill this week that is aimed squarely at the patent strategies that are used to block biosimilars from coming to market.

March 07, 2019

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) begins its 2-day March meeting Thursday, and the first item on the agenda is a discussion about reference pricing and binding arbitration for Part B drugs in order to improve price competition and value.

March 06, 2019

A few weeks after the United States Supreme Court rebuffed Maryland in its attempt to regulate drug prices, legislative committees are meeting Wednesday on a drug price transparency bill, as well as a bill to create a commission to review prices and set ceilings on insurers, pharmacies and hospitals.

March 05, 2019

A Kaiser Health News (KHN) analysis found that about one-half of the patient advocacy groups appearing in national ads opposing a Trump administration proposal to change how Medicare Part D covers drugs in protected classes have received pharmaceutical industry funding.

March 04, 2019

Eli Lilly and Company said Monday it is introducing a lower-priced authorized generic of its insulin lispro injection (Humalog) in the United States. The generic will have a list price 50% lower than the current Humalog list price.

March 01, 2019

The industry group for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) launched a public relations blitz in the wake of scrutiny regarding their role in prescription drug prices.