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
Physician and TV personality Mehmet Oz, who is President Trump's nominee for CMS administrator, said he was instructed by President Trump to explore “every single way” the agency could lower drug costs.
Former CMS official John Coster offered insights into why the agency has declined to directly engage in efforts to avoid duplication of Medicare negotiated prices and 340B discounts during an interview with the Pink Sheet.
Recently retired CMS veteran John Coster discussed potential Medicaid cuts, rebate cap elimination and obesity drug coverage in an interview with the Pink Sheet.
During his Senate confirmation hearing, Bhattacharya also said he does not believe the MMR vaccine causes autism and emphasized transparency with NIH-funded researcher ties to the pharmaceutical industry.
Lilly is broadening the range of single-use vial dosage forms of its obesity drug and lowering prices of existing doses for self-paying customers, but maintains it can handle increased demand as compounding ends.
The leader of the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee has a plan for passing pharmacy benefit manager reforms, but Democrats are skeptical.