Tag: Juliette Cubanski
US pharmaceutical companies sue to halt cuts in drug prices
Volume 402, Issue 10399
29 July 2023
WORLD REPORT Medicare will soon be able to negotiate some drug prices to reduce costs for patients and taxpayers. Susan Jaffe reports from Washington, DC.
The first set of ten drugs subject to price negotiations by the US Medicare programme will be unveiled on Sept 1, 2023, but some pharmaceutical companies and their allies are not waiting to find out which products will be on the list. So far, four manufacturers and two trade associations are suing to stop the process before it begins. [Continued here.]
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US Congress lets Medicare negotiate lower drug prices
Volume 400, Issue 10352
20 August 2022
WORLD REPORT A new law also targets climate change in a major victory for Democrats and President Joe Biden. Susan Jaffe reports from Washington, DC.
Shattering decades of opposition from the pharmaceutical industry and its allies, slim Democratic majorities in the US House of Representatives and Senate have passed landmark legislation to begin to control runaway drug prices for almost 50 million older Americans with Medicare’s pharmaceutical benefit. The bill also provides the largest federal investment in US history—US$370 billion—to slash greenhouse gases by 40% below 2005 emissions and respond to the devastating effects of climate change…. The legislation also ensures that no Medicare beneficiary pays more than $2000 a year for drugs. “That means you will have more money in your pocket”, said Tatiana Fassieux, education and training specialist at California Health Advocates. [Continued here.]
… Decline of Medicare subsidized drug plans leaves seniors with less choice
By Susan Jaffe, Kaiser Health News | November 21, 2015 | and also published in 
Even though health problems forced Denise Scott to retire several years ago, she feels “very blessed” because her medicine is still relatively inexpensive and a subsidy for low-income Medicare beneficiaries covers the full cost of her monthly drug plan premiums. But the subsidy is not going to stretch as far next year.
