Policy

Biosimilar Provisions Feature Heavily in Senate Finance Bill

July 24th 2019

By Kelly Davio

The Senate Finance Committee has released its long-awaited chairman’s mark of the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act of 2019. The bill, aimed at lowering the cost of drugs for American patients, contains a number of provisions that impact biosimilars.

Canadian Payer Applauds British Columbia for Switching Patients to Biosimilars

July 23rd 2019

By The Center for Biosimilars Staff

This month, the president and chief executive officer of Green Shield Canada, the fourth-largest private payer in Canada, hailed British Columbia’s strategy as “forward-thinking” and “essential to maximizing opportunities in healthcare.”

Cruz Reintroduces Bill to Provide Reciprocal Access to Foreign Drugs

July 22nd 2019

By Allison Inserro

Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has reintroduced a bill he thinks will speed US approval of drugs, biologics, or devices approved in other countries.

Little-Known Provision of Senate Healthcare Bill Has Some Biosimilar Stakeholders Worried

July 19th 2019

By Kelly Davio

When the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions released bipartisan legislation aimed at lowering the cost of healthcare in the United States in May, biosimilar stakeholders had some cause for optimism. However, one provision of the bill that has garnered significantly less attention from the broader healthcare community has raised concerns among many biologics stakeholders.

CBO Says Lower Health Care Costs Act Could Save $7.6 Billion by 2029

July 17th 2019

By Kelly Davio

According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), enacting the bill would increase direct spending by about $18.7 billion and increase direct revenues by $26.2 billion, resulting in a net decrease in the deficit of $7.6 billion by 2029.

Part D Beneficiaries May Pay More for Some Generics, Biosimilars Than Brand-Name Drugs

July 17th 2019

By Jaime Rosenberg

Medicare Part D enrollees may actually pay more for some generic drugs than they would for their brand-name counterparts because of the Part D benefit, according to findings of a new study appearing in Health Affairs.

House Democrats Ask US Trade Representative to Drop Biologics Language From USMCA

July 12th 2019

By Allison Inserro

More than 100 House Democrats this week wrote to US Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer to ask him to drop language from the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) trade agreement that would give 10 years of marketing exclusivity for biologic drugs.

The Top 5 Biosimilars Articles for the Week of July 8

July 12th 2019

The Center for Biosimilars® recaps the top stories for the week of July 8, 2019.

Trump Administration Withdraws Proposed Rule to Block Rebates

July 11th 2019

By The Center for Biosimilars Staff

The Trump administration has withdrawn its proposal to block rebates and discounts given by drug makers to pharmacy benefit managers, Part D plans, and Medicaid managed care organizations.

A Q&A With Goodwin's Alexandra Valenti, JD, About Patent Discussions in the Senate

July 10th 2019

By Allison Inserro

The Center for Biosimilars® had a conversation with Alexandra D. Valenti, JD, of Goodwin’s Intellectual Property Litigation group, to help understand the recent discussions in the Senate Judiciary Committee about ongoing attempts at patent reform.