Cathy has covered US regulation and reimbursement policy for the biopharma industry since 2004, starting with the establishment of the Medicare Part D program. Since then, she has written extensively about developments in all major sectors of the US insurance market (Medicare, Medicaid and commercial plans). She has covered key legislation affecting biopharma, including the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act which created Part D, health care reform under President Obama, and the Inflation Reduction Act which establishes a government price negotiation program in Medicare for the first time and redesigns of the Part D benefit. She has closely followed the increasing influence of pharmacy benefit managers and their use of formulary negotiations and rebates to control pricing. Cathy also has covered developments in health technology assessments, including the growing influence of the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, and has monitored industry progress on novel drug contracting that reflects value-based pricing. She has worked as a health care reporter and editor while raising three daughters. Cathy lives outside DC in Bethesda, MD, with her husband Sean.
Latest from Cathy Kelly
Oz is widely seen as a gifted health communicator and has device-industry cred, but brings little experience running a large government organization or with the policy and budget challenges confronting Medicare and Medicaid.
But the expected nominee brings little experience running a large government organization or with the policy and budget challenges confronting Medicare and Medicaid.
But the expected nominee brings little experience running a large government organization or with the policy and budget challenges confronting Medicare and Medicaid.
Commission members say the standalone prescription drug plan market needs to be bolstered, given that more than 40% of Medicare beneficiaries in fee-for-service Medicare are enrolled in PDPs.
With Republicans winning a governing trifecta, prospects improve for 340B program reforms, PBM legislation, and Inflation Reduction Act drug pricing revisions. But immediate priorities for Congress and the new president will be elsewhere.
Company’s move against the US agency tasked with overseeing the 340B drug discount program is the latest in a series of manufacturer attempts to rein in ballooning 340B price concessions.