Taking the Pulse, A Health Care and Life Sciences Video Podcast | Episode 244: The Future of Independent Physician Practices with Ray Waldrup of The Leaders Rheum
PODCAST: Williams Mullen's Benefits Companion - Cost, Care and Captives: A Mid-Size Employer’s Guide to Benefit Trends
Taking the Pulse: A Health Care & Life Sciences Video Podcast | Episode 239: Understanding the 340B Pricing Program with Chuck Melendi of Disruptive Dialogue
Understanding Pharmacy Benefit Managers: The PBM Landscape Explained
EpiPen RICO Ruling Opens Door for Private AKS Enforcement
Part Two: The MFN Drug Pricing Rule and the Rebate Rule: Where Do We Go From Here?
Part One: Two new Medicare Drug Pricing Rules in One Day: What are the MFN and the Rebate Drug Pricing Rules?
Drug Pricing Initiatives During the Trump Presidency
On April 16, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed into law HB1150 and HB1531, two significant pieces of legislation affecting pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and pharmaceutical manufacturers operating within the...more
On December 31, 2024, the New Jersey Department of Banking & Insurance (“Department”) issued two Bulletins, announcing changes to the law, effective January 1, 2025. Both Bulletins addressed health insurance. Bulletin, No....more
Heading into the new year, a Trump-Vance administration will control the White House and the Republicans will hold a narrow majority in both the House and Senate. This control trifecta is likely to impact both legislative and...more
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently sued the three largest pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) – Caremark Rx, Express Scripts (ESI) and OptumRx – alleging that the PBMs and their related group purchasing organizations...more
This article is part of a monthly column that considers the significance of recent Federal Trade Commission announcements about antitrust issues. In this installment, we discuss the FTC's complaint on PBMs' conduct around...more
On August 15, 2024, CMS announced the results of the first round of the negotiated prices between CMS and participating drug manufacturers for the 10 selected drugs under the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) Medicare Drug...more
It has been a busy year for issues related to drug pricing, and with the election around the corner, litigation issues that have been developing over the last few years are likely to be a key focus for the second half of...more
Although we are only two and a half months in, 2024 has already seen its fair share of impactful 340B developments on both the litigation and legislative fronts....more
The Lower Costs More Transparency Act of 2023, passed by the House 320-71 on Monday, December 11, 2023, would institute new transparency and pricing rules on pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and hospitals. The bill would...more
This WSJ story highlights the challenges faced by patients as they navigate the “convoluted” ways in which drug prices are set between manufacturers and the pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) who negotiate on behalf of health...more
While only slightly past the midway point of 2023, it has already been a busy year for developments in drug pricing. Notably, CMS released its final guidance in preparation for price negotiations and the first 10 drugs...more
News Briefs - More States Introducing 'Conscience' Healthcare Bills - A new Montana law will provide sweeping legal protections to healthcare practitioners who refuse to prescribe marijuana or participate in procedures and...more
Though many recent reforms regarding prescription drug affordability have been focused on manufacturers and health plans, pharmacy benefit managers (“PBMs”) are also the focus of increased attention from federal policymakers...more
Many pharmaceutical manufacturers currently require 340B covered entities to provide de-identified pharmacy claims data for dispensed 340B drugs to a third party, 340B ESP, as a condition of receiving discounts under the 340B...more
Recent decisions in two different antitrust cases involving price increases and marketing practices for the EpiPen address a relationship solidly embedded in the current architecture of pharmaceutical drug markets: payments...more
On 20 November 2020, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released its final rule on drug rebates entitled “Removal Of Safe Harbor Protection For Rebates...more
On November 20, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a Final Rule to finalize a February 6, 2019 proposal stripping rebates received from drug manufacturers by...more
Final Rule Closely Resembles Previously Withdrawn 2019 Proposed Rule - INTRODUCTION - On November 20, 2020, as part of a release of several drug pricing rules, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”)...more
In a rare act of bipartisanship, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., introduced on July 23rd a chairman’s mark, the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act (PDPRA)...more
After identifying recent federal efforts that would require drug pricing transparency, this article discusses two state laws enacted recently. Thereafter, the article assesses previously enacted state laws requiring drug...more
• The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced a new Medicare Part D demonstration to address the potential implementation of a recent proposed rule that would exclude from anti-kickback safe harbor...more
The pharmaceutical industry invests billions in research and development. And as a result, the pharmaceutical industry has brought—and continues to bring—beneficial, life-saving, life-prolonging, life-enhancing, and...more
On February 6, 2019, the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (the “OIG”) published in the Federal Register a proposed rule (the “Proposed Rule”) that, if made final in its...more
On January 31, 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) issued a proposed rule (“Proposed Rule”) that would restrict safe harbor protection under the federal Anti-Kickback...more
The Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services (“OIG”) released a proposed rule to eliminate safe harbor protection under the anti-kickback statute for drug price reductions that pharmaceutical...more