News Briefs
✦ CMS on Feb. 5 issued a proposed rule that would allow Medicare Part D sponsors to establish a second, “preferred” specialty drug tier with lower cost-sharing than the current specialty tier — after plan sp...
2020 Outlook: Experts Predict Part D Reform, Minimal Pressure on PBMs
If Congress or the Trump administration are able to enact any type of drug-pricing reform during 2020 — a year sure to be dominated by the upcoming elections — it’s likely to be a redesign of Medicare Part D, ...
Express Scripts Coverage, FDA Label Update Boost Rybelsus With Chart: Current Market Access to GLP-1 Medications
Access to Novo Nordisk’s Rybelsus (semaglutide) — the first oral glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1) to treat adults with type 2 diabetes — got a major boost Jan. 17 when Novo said Express Scripts...
Firms Shake Up PCSK9 Market, With Sanofi Out, Novartis In
Sanofi S.A. is cutting its losses on its PCSK9 inhibitor, exiting the U.S. market for the drug completely after various tactics, including slashing prices and promoting value-based contracts to payers, failed to spa...
News Briefs
✦ The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case that ultimately could upend state-based efforts to regulate PBMs. The lawsuit, which was brought by the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA), challenges a...
2020 Outlook: ‘Wild Year’ Is Expected for Large, Consolidated PBMs
Though the two major transactions that upended the PBM landscape — Cigna Corp. buying Express Scripts Holding Co. and CVS Health Corp. acquiring Aetna Inc. — have already taken place, that doesn’t mean the sec...
2020 Outlook: State Lawmakers Tee Up Bills on PBMs, Drug Pricing This Year
State lawmakers will continue to focus on the cost of prescription drugs as the 2020 legislative season gets underway, potentially advancing measures to require the disclosure of manufacturer drug pricing informatio...
Nearly 500 Medications See Price Hikes in New Year
After only one week into the new year, drug manufacturers have raised the list prices of almost 500 medications. On average, prices on 491 drugs have increased 5.2%, according to GoodRx, a company that tracks the co...
HHS Importation Efforts Move Ahead, but Questions Remain
Late last month, the Trump administration moved ahead with a proposed rule and draft guidance that could open the door to drug importation. The moves, it contended, would lower U.S. prescription drug prices. But ske...
Mass. Blues/PillPack Deal Shows Demand for Convenience
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts’ partnership with PillPack by Amazon Pharmacy may seem like just another way to offer home delivery of medications to members. But one industry analyst points to PillPack’...