Capitol Perspectives
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Bloated COVID Relief Package Misses Mark
In his final column, John McManus discusses the difficult position pharma companies are in now from a political standpoint and the COVID relief bills.
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New Swipes At Rx Industry Despite Stable Costs2/8/2021
On the last full day of President Trump’s tumultuous presidency, CMS released a proposal to dramatically restrict access to Part D drugs for patients with serious medical conditions.
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Most Favored Nation Pricing Temporarily Halted By Courts1/14/2021
In late December, the courts halted President Trump’s international reference-pricing scheme, the Most Favored Nation model, saying the administration had improperly attempted to implement a radical change in Medicare reimbursement policy.
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Most Favored Nation Regulation Could Upend The Rx Market12/9/2020
Buried on page 184 of President Trump’s interim final rule (IFR) implementing his “Most Favored Nation” (MFN) drug proposal is Table 11, which projects 19% lower utilization of Medicare Part B medications due to “no access.”
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Election Fallout: Can Divided Government Forge Bipartisan Solutions?11/10/2020
As the election concludes, we still face new changes to healthcare policy, pharma price-controls, taxes, and a staggering debt.
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Implementation Of MFN, Importation, And Other Mischief In 202010/12/2020
As the election nears and a potential change in power of both the White House and Congress approaches, it is important to understand that significant healthcare policy can still be accomplished this year.
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Democratic And Republican Health Priorities In The Next Administration9/9/2020
With the conventions and a contentious summer behind them, both political parties are laying out their agendas for the next four years. What are the Democratic and Republican health priorities?
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Trump Threatens Rx Industry With Executive Orders8/11/2020
As Trump’s one-month deadline for a deal with PhRMA ticks away, nervous pharmaceutical executives are equally dismissive and anxious about the next actions of an often-impulsive president.
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Democratic House Passes Rx Price Controls Amid Pandemic7/10/2020
During this COVID-19 crisis, government should be collaborating closely with industry to promote innovation that will save lives, improve health and bring back prosperity that can come with safely reopening the economy. Yet, it is astonishing that House Democrats have chosen the opposite path.
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More Nuanced Approach Needed To Fight COVID-195/29/2020
When will COVID-based decisions by politicians be guided by mounting data that suggests targeted approaches to containing the pandemic would be beneficial for both the vulnerable and the rest of the population, which must get on living their lives and providing for their families.
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Assisting Millions Of Uninsured Bogged Down In Abortion Politics5/11/2020
Controversies over COBRA and abortion coupled with a decline in elective medical procedures plague the healthcare system during this COVID-19 crisis.
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$2 Trillion CARES Act Attempts To Keep Health System Afloat4/6/2020
Just weeks ago, America had the lowest unemployment rate in history, the stock market was setting record highs, and the political system had become so poisoned that the speaker of the House and the president, fresh off the Senate acquittal of impeachment articles, were not speaking to each other. That seems like a dream that was eons ago.
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“Surprise Medical Bills” May Displace Rx Drugs As Healthcare Focus In 20203/2/2020
The same politics that fuel patient ire at the drug industry for rising out-of-pocket costs manifest in the other major focus of health legislation this year: “surprise medical bills,” which occur when a patient receives care from an out-of-network healthcare provider.
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Impeachment Halts Health Policy Advancement As Coronavirus Spreads2/7/2020
As the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump dragged into the latter half of the second week, the wheels of healthcare policy development have ground to a halt.
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The Bipartisan Dismemberment Of The ACA1/10/2020
Hours after the House of Representatives impeached President Donald J. Trump, it passed a gargantuan omnibus appropriation package costing $1.4 trillion in 2020 that continues the bipartisan unravelling of the Affordable Care Act (i.e., Obamacare) by repealing three taxes critical to its financing: the “Cadillac tax” on high-cost insurance plans, the medical device excise tax, and the health insurance tax. Together, their repeal costs the federal government $373.3 billion in lost revenue over the next 10 years according to the Joint Committee on Taxation.
IN THIS MONTH'S ISSUE
BEYOND THE PRINTED PAGE
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Communicating Authentically During Times Of Crisis4/19/2021
John Fowler, cofounder and CEO of Kezar Life Sciences, shares “A Letter to Kezar Employees,” a best practice example of a leader communicating authentically and transparently during times of crisis (i.e., the killing of George Floyd).
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A Lesson Learned The Hard Way4/18/2021
Neil Kumar, cofounder and CEO of BridgeBio, discusses his rationale behind why employees didn’t have titles during the startup phase.
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BridgeBio’s Neil Kumar Remembers Those Humble Beginnings4/12/2021
Neil Kumar, cofounder and CEO of BridgeBio, a company today valued at more than $10 billion, shares an embarrassing experience of the startup’s humble beginnings.
LIFE SCIENCE LEADER BLOGS
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Disruption of life routines by COVID-19 provide a CNS opportunity on multiple fronts.
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While biopharma's response to COVID-19 has started to turnaround the industry's sagging reputation, one successful response to one crisis does not a reputation save.