Many seniors are paying more for Part D medicines than their insurer
For seniors who rely on Medicare Part D, the out-of-pocket costs for medicines can sometimes be a barrier. Insurers and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) continue to shift more and more costs to patients. And anew analysis from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) shows why this is a problem that must be addressed. (Source: The Catalyst)
Source: The Catalyst - October 18, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Tags: Health Insurance Part D Medicare Out-of-Pocket Costs Source Type: news
Don ’t take anti-innovation, activist funded academics at their word
It ’s disappointing to see yet more studies published byactivist-funded industry critics that fail to recognize the nature of competition in the biopharmaceutical market and use cherry-picked data to draw misleading conclusions. (Source: The Catalyst)
Source: The Catalyst - October 18, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Jocelyn Ulrich Tags: Research and Development Intellectual Property Asthma Source Type: news
Biosimilar uptake is increasing and so are health savings
There has been a lot of talk recently about the biosimilars marketplace and what role biosimilars play in reducing health care costs. We ’re here to set the record straight about how these medicines are reshaping America’s health care landscape and improving patient and provider choice. (Source: The Catalyst)
Source: The Catalyst - October 17, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Jocelyn Ulrich Tags: Biologics and Biosimilars Part B Source Type: news
Protecting against influenza: A conversation with David Ross, Vice President, Commercial Operations, North America, CSL Seqirus
Our industry is at the forefront of fighting the annual influenza virus. I recently had the chance to connect with David Ross, Vice President, Commercial Operations, North America, CSL Seqirus about how the industry is working to fight the annual flu and what lessons learned during COVID-19 are allowing us to better respond to influenza. (Source: The Catalyst)
Source: The Catalyst - October 13, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Mike Ybarra Tags: PhRMA Member Company Vaccines Infectious Diseases Coronavirus Source Type: news
New comments outline ways to protect patients from health plans and PBMs who profit from patient assistance
PhRMA submittedcomments this week in response to the Department of Health& Human Services (HHS) proposed rule on the Nondiscrimination in Health Programs and Activities. As outlined in our comments, PhRMA supports many policies in the proposed rule that aim to combat discrimination in health programs and activities, including broad application of nondiscrimination provisions, promoting health equity and preventing discriminatory benefit designs. PhRMA also urges HHS to ensure patients are adequately protected from discriminatory health plan features that are used by health plans, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and re...
Source: The Catalyst - October 7, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Emilie Signora Tags: Health Insurance Out-of-Pocket Costs Pharmacy Benefit Managers Equity Source Type: news
If patients aren ’t benefiting from the 340B program, who is?
The 340B Drug Pricing Program was designed to help vulnerable patients improve access to their medicines through manufacturer discounts to specific safety-net, non-profit hospitals and federally funded clinics. The biopharmaceutical industry has long supported this program, but unfortunately, 340B has strayed far from its purpose, with more and more for-profit health care entities using these discounts for themselves. Do you know just how many entities financially benefit from this supposed patient safety-net? (Source: The Catalyst)
Source: The Catalyst - October 6, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Tags: 340B Source Type: news
Busting 3 Myths About Copay Coupons
Insurer-imposed barriers like high deductibles and coinsurance shift the cost of life-saving care onto patients. Manufacturers and others have stepped forward to assist patients who face high out-of-pocket costs, using programs like copay coupons to help eligible, commercially insured patients afford their out-of-pocket costs. In fact, the share of patients staying on treatment for one year increased by up to 47% when patients used copay coupons. (Source: The Catalyst)
Source: The Catalyst - October 5, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Katie Koziara Tags: Drug Cost Health Insurance Medicare Out-of-Pocket Costs Medicaid Source Type: news
PDUFA and BsUFA reauthorizations are wins for patients
America relies on the U.S. Food& Drug Administration (FDA) to keep pace with the scientific advancements happening every day in labs across the country. That ’s why the recently enacted Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA VII) and Biosimilar User Fee Act (BsUFA III) are both great news for biopharmaceutical innovation and for patients. With these programs reauthorized for another five years, the FDA can continue doing its vital work reviewing medicin es. (Source: The Catalyst)
Source: The Catalyst - October 5, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Tags: FDA PDUFA Biologics and Biosimilars Source Type: news
Mental Illness Awareness Week – A time for reflection
Each first week of October, Americans all across the country take time to reflect on an issue which is increasingly recognized as impacting everyone, whether it be directly as it does me, or indirectly through a family member or friend: mental illness. Mental Illness Awareness Week is an opportunity to raise awareness about the impacts of mental illness and to better understand and educate communities about what it means to face a mental illness, deal with significant moments of stress throughout one ’s life or help loved ones navigate similar challenges. (Source: The Catalyst)
Source: The Catalyst - October 3, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Tags: Research and Development Health Insurance Out-of-Pocket Costs Mental Health Polling Source Type: news
New report ignores benefits of patent system to innovation and patients
A recentreport from the Initiative for Medicines, Access& Knowledge – known as I-MAK – highlights fundamental misunderstandings about America’s patent system and how it benefits patients and medical innovation. I-MAK accuses biopharmaceutical companies of blocking competition and gaming the system by patenting new innovations, when in reality, new patents do n ot extend old patents, and they do not prevent competitors from launching new products. (Source: The Catalyst)
Source: The Catalyst - September 30, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Megan Van Etten Tags: Patents Intellectual Property Source Type: news
New Report: Nearly 800 medicines in development to treat chronic conditions
Chronic conditions impose a substantial health and economic burden that affects millions of patients, families and communities across the United States each day. While these conditions come with different origins, symptoms and treatments, they each can have a negative impact on a person ’s physical and emotional well-being, quality of life and productivity. Currently, it is estimated thatsix in 10 adults in the U.S. have a chronic condition and four in 10 adults have two or more. All combined, treating those with chronic conditions makes up90% of the nation ’s $4.1 trillion in annual health care expenditures. In respon...
Source: The Catalyst - September 29, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Matthew Norawong Tags: Medicines in Development Research and Development Chronic Disease Source Type: news
New Report: Nearly 800 medicines in development to treat chronic condition
Chronic conditions impose a substantial health and economic burden that affects millions of patients, families and communities across the United States each day. While these conditions come with different origins, symptoms and treatments, they each can have a negative impact on a person ’s physical and emotional well-being, quality of life and productivity. Currently, it is estimated thatsix in 10 adults in the U.S. have a chronic condition and four in 10 adults have two or more. All combined, treating those with chronic conditions makes up90% of the nation ’s $4.1 trillion in annual health care expenditures. In respon...
Source: The Catalyst - September 29, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Matthew Norawong Tags: Medicines in Development Research and Development Chronic Disease Source Type: news
A key fact the White House is reluctant to admit
Today, President Biden delivered remarks that touch on recent drug pricing reforms included in theInflation Reduction Act. While the law is deeply flawed and government price-setting is the wrong approach for patients, don ’t be confused by any political talking points:The biopharmaceutical research industry has long supported capping what seniors in Medicare Part D pay out of pocket for lifesaving medicines. (Source: The Catalyst)
Source: The Catalyst - September 27, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Brian Newell Tags: Part D Out-of-Pocket Costs Policy Solutions Source Type: news
Recognizing National Sickle Cell Awareness Month
September is National Sickle Cell Awareness Month and a time for us to underscore the biopharmaceutical industry ’s ongoing commitment to improve the lives of patients, families and communities affected by sickle cell disease. (Source: The Catalyst)
Source: The Catalyst - September 23, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Anne McDonald Pritchett, PhD Tags: Medicines in Development Research and Development Rare Diseases Source Type: news
Partnerships are driving global COVID-19 treatment access
Through the constant efforts of U.S. innovators and their global partners,COVID-19 treatments have continued to be distributed to patients around the world — changing the pandemic’s treatment landscape and the trajectory of the virus’ impact. This is in no small part due to the more than 140 collaborations for COVID-19 treatments that have been signed since the start of the pandemic, as reported to PhRMA by global data provider Airfinity. (Source: The Catalyst)
Source: The Catalyst - September 22, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Megan Van Etten Tags: Intellectual Property Vaccines Trade Coronavirus TRIPS Waiver Source Type: news
