Biden’s Pharma Fix: New ‘March-In’ Rule Allows HHS To Seize Patents Of Pricey Drugs

Pres. Biden’s administration on Thursday unveiled a new framework allowing authorities the right to seize certain drug patents and license them to other manufacturers in order to lower drug prices.

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Targeting Costly Meds, Biden Admin Asserts Authority To Seize Certain Drug Patents

The Biden administration has determined that it has the authority to seize the patents of certain high-priced medicines, a move that could open the door to a more aggressive federal campaign to slash drug prices. The determination, which was described by three people familiar with the matter, represents the culmination of a nearly nine-month review of ...

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CVS’ Drug Price Revamp May Not Help Consumers Much

CVS Pharmacy is promising to make its drug pricing system simpler and more transparent. But that may not translate into lower costs or more clarity for consumers. The company announced Tuesday that its new CVS CostVantage model will revamp how its pharmacies are paid for prescription medications. It will use a formula that includes “the cost of ...

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Health Insurers Push Back On Biden’s ‘Burdensome’ New Mental Health Parity Rules

Since Pres. Biden proposed rules to reinforce the Mental Health Parity law in July, there’s been mixed reaction to the rules, however, employer groups and insurers point out one glaring issue – a shortage of mental health providers.

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Bipartisan Reps Introduce Bill Canceling 2024’s 3.4% Medicare Pay Cut To Physicians

A bipartisan group of representatives has introduced a bill into the House that would undo a 2024 physician pay cut finalized last month by the Biden administration. The 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule final rule included a decrease in the conversion factor, which is used to calculate Medicare payments to doctors, that translated to a 3.37% pay decrease ...

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Cigna Calls Off Humana Pursuit, Plans Big Stock Buyback

Cigna Group abandoned its pursuit of a tie-up with Humana after shareholders balked at a deal that would have created a roughly $140 billion giant in the health-insurance industry. The companies couldn’t come to agreement on price and other financial terms, according to people familiar with the matter. In the near term, Cigna is turning its ...

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California Hospitalizations Climb As COVID, Flu And RSV Infections Increase

California hospitals are seeing increased strain heading into the winter holiday season, with more than three-quarters of inpatient beds occupied and nearly 67% of intensive care beds in use, according to figures released Friday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But for the first time in three years, the surge is not solely ...

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Mexico Raids And Closes 31 Pharmacies In Ensenada That Were Selling Fentanyl-Laced Pills

Mexican authorities have raided and closed 31 drug stores in the Baja California coastal city of Ensenada, after they were detected selling false or fentanyl-laced pills

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Sleep Interrupted: What To Do, And What Not To Do, When You Wake Up And Can’t Drift Back Off

Anyone who has ever woken up in the middle of the night and struggled to go back to sleep knows the toll insomnia can take the following day. More than 17% of adults had trouble staying asleep most days or every day of the past month, according to 2020 data from the Centers for Disease Control and ...

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House Passes Site-Neutral Policy, Transparency, PBM Reform Package

The House passed a relatively major health care package late Monday, an end-of-year victory after the same policies had to be yanked from consideration in September because they lacked bipartisan support.

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