Drug Costs Archives - Page 8 of 36

Will They or Won’t They (Block the Abortion Pill)?

Episode 294

April 20, 2023

The Supreme Court is considering the future of the abortion pill mifepristone, after GenBioPro sued the FDA over limitations that effectively block generic production of the drug, a major part of the market. Congress is considering proposals that would impose Medicaid work requirements, crack down on pharmacy benefit managers, and more. And President Joe Biden moved to expand health coverage to young immigrants known as “Dreamers.” Rachel Cohrs of Stat, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico join �Թϲ��’ Mary Agnes Carey to discuss these issues and more.

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Social Media Is Fueling Enthusiasm for New Weight Loss Drugs. Are Regulators Watching?

Online platforms are overflowing with testimonials for GLP-1s. The drugs show promise for inducing weight loss, but many aren’t FDA-approved for that use.

By Darius Tahir and Hannah Norman

April 18, 2023

What the Health? From �Թϲ��

The Confusing Fate of the Abortion Pill

Episode 293

April 13, 2023

The legality and availability of the abortion pill mifepristone is in question after a federal judge in Texas canceled the FDA’s approval of the first drug used in the two-drug medication abortion regimen. A 5th Circuit Court of Appeals panel overruled that decision in part, saying the pill should remain available, but only under the onerous restrictions in place before 2016. Meanwhile, another federal judge in Washington state issued a ruling in a separate case that conflicts with the Texas decision, ordering the FDA not to roll back any of its restrictions on the drug. Victoria Knight of Axios, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join �Թϲ�� chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.

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A photo of Horizon Therapeutics' CEO speaking at an event.

The Drug Company That Prospered Without Creating Any Drugs

Horizon Therapeutics, which Amgen is acquiring for about $28 billion, grew large by snapping up cheap drugs from other companies, marketing them to perfection, and jacking up prices.

By Arthur Allen

April 13, 2023

KHN On Air

Journalists Delve Into Insulin Costs and Prior Authorization Policy

KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.

March 25, 2023

A photo of Senator Bernie Sanders and Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel shaking hands.

Sen. Sanders Shows Fire, but Seeks Modest Goals, in His Debut Drug Hearing as Health Chair

The Vermont independent and former presidential candidate was all fire and brimstone at his first hearing on drug prices as head of the Senate HELP Committee. He also pursued a more modest goal of covid vaccine price reductions. It isn’t clear whether Sanders will succeed in even that, but he has put affordability front and center.

By Arthur Allen

March 23, 2023

A photo of a syringe and an insulin vial.

California Picks Generic Drug Company Civica to Produce Low-Cost Insulin

Gov. Gavin Newsom, who blasted pharmaceutical companies for gouging Californians, is moving ahead with state-branded insulin. He’s also eyeing other generic drugs.

By Angela Hart

March 18, 2023

A photo of protesters holding signs that read, "Stop pharma's price abuse" and "Diabetes community dying."

Why Does Insulin Cost So Much? Big Pharma Isn’t the Only Player Driving Prices

Big Pharma may be moving on from squeezing diabetes patients on insulin prices, but it’s the arbitrators that jack up prices for those who can least afford them.

By Arthur Allen

March 9, 2023

What the Health? From �Թϲ��

March Medicaid Madness

Episode 287

March 2, 2023

President Joe Biden and Republicans in Congress spent last month sparring over whether to shield Medicare and Social Security from budget cuts — leading some to wonder if Medicaid was on the table instead. Biden and Democrats say no, but some Republicans seem eager to trim federal spending on the health program for Americans with low incomes. And ready or not, artificial intelligence is coming to medical care. Benefits, as well as unintended consequences, are likely. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Rachel Cohrs of STAT News, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post join KHN’s chief Washington correspondent, Julie Rovner, to discuss these issues and more.

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Eli Lilly Slashed Insulin Prices. This Starts a Race to the Bottom.

Eli Lilly's news that it plans to cut insulin costs for patients will help, not hinder, the recent efforts in California and by entrepreneurs such as Mark Cuban to offer lower-cost alternatives, drug pricing experts said.

By Bram Sable-Smith and Samantha Young

March 2, 2023

Carolina Morga Tapia stands outside in a park with her five children. Two of the youngest are sitting in a green wagon.

California’s Massive Medicaid Program Works for Some, but Fails Many Others

Medi-Cal serves more than one-third of the state’s population — offering a dizzying range of care to a diverse population. In the new “Faces of Medi-Cal” series, California Healthline will assess the program’s strengths and weaknesses through the lives and experiences of its enrollees.

By Angela Hart and Bernard J. Wolfson

March 2, 2023

A photo shows a box containing an EpiPen.

After Capping Insulin Copays, Colorado Sets Its Sights on EpiPens

Colorado’s proposed legislation to cap the copay for the EpiPen is part of a nationwide trend as more states try to shield patients from skyrocketing drug prices.

By Helen Santoro

Feb. 27, 2023

A photo shows an older woman sitting in a chair and looking to the left.

A Bitter Battle Over the ‘Orphan Drug’ Program Leaves Patients’ Pocketbooks at Risk

Patients who depend upon special drugs to treat rare diseases are caught in the crossfire as drugmakers and the FDA battle over regulations that reward companies for developing treatments for relatively small pools of patients.

By Sarah Jane Tribble

Feb. 22, 2023

A photo shows Mark Cuban speaking into a microphone at a tech conference.

Mark Cuban Has Been Taking On the Drug Industry. But Which One?

The billionaire entrepreneur and NBA team owner is making waves with his new drug company. But his generics aren’t always the lowest-priced deal.

By Darius Tahir

Feb. 17, 2023

What the Health? From �Թϲ��

The Kids Are Not OK

Episode 285

Feb. 16, 2023

A new survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that teenagers, particularly girls, are reporting all-time high rates of violence and profound mental distress. Meanwhile, both sides in the abortion debate are anxiously waiting for a district court decision in Texas that could effectively revoke the FDA’s 22-year-old approval of the abortion pill mifepristone. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico join KHN’s chief Washington correspondent, Julie Rovner, to discuss these issues and more.

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A man with black cloth covering his right eye over his glasses sits on the edge of a couch and looks off-camera to his left.

Your Money or Your Life: Patient on $50,000-a-Week Cancer Drug Fears Leaving Behind Huge Medical Debt

When Medicare stops paying for a pricey drug that prolongs life, an Ohio man considers giving up treatment to spare his family enormous debt.

By Fred Schulte

Feb. 14, 2023

What the Health? From �Թϲ��

A Health-Heavy State of the Union

Episode 284

Feb. 9, 2023

President Joe Biden’s 2023 State of the Union address leaned heavily on health care issues. Biden took a victory lap for recent accomplishments like capping prescription drug costs for seniors on Medicare. He also urged Congress to make permanent the boosted premium subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, and he sparred with Republicans on threats to cut Social Security and Medicare. Also this week, both sides in the abortion debate are bracing for a court decision out of Texas that could, at least temporarily, make the abortion pill mifepristone illegal nationwide. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Rachel Cohrs of Stat, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KHN chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Kate Baicker of the University of Chicago about a possible middle ground in the effort to get universal health insurance coverage.

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Centene Agrees to $215 Million Settlement With California for Alleged Medicaid Overbilling

The nation’s largest Medicaid insurer denies wrongdoing after the California attorney general’s office investigated it for inflating prescription drug costs.

By Samantha Young

Feb. 8, 2023

A photo shows President Biden speaking during the State of the Union address.

Health Policies Were a Prominent Theme in Biden’s State of the Union Speech

Our partners at PolitiFact fact-checked a range of President Joe Biden’s statements, including key health-related comments.

By �Թϲ�� and PolitiFact staffs

Feb. 8, 2023

A photo shows Senator Bernie Sanders speaking into a microphone in front of the U.S. Capitol.

‘We Ain’t Gonna Get It’: Why Bernie Sanders Says His ‘Medicare for All’ Dream Must Wait

As he takes the reins of the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee, the independent from Vermont and implacable champion of “Medicare for All” maps out his strategy for negotiating with Republicans — and Big Pharma.

By Arthur Allen

Feb. 8, 2023

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