Government Payers

CMS Nominee Oz Nears Confirmation Despite Concerns About Medicaid Cuts

 
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Democrats opposed the nomination because they believe Mehmet Oz will not defend Medicaid from spending cuts. His pledge to continue lowering drug costs in Medicare and Medicaid did not offset the concerns.

Study Shows ‘Insurer-PBMs’ Dominate Medicare Part D, Steer Patients to Their Pharmacies

 
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An analysis of Medicare Part D and other data found that more than one-third of all pharmacy spending went through pharmacies owned by Cigna, CVS Health, Humana or UnitedHealth Group.

Branded Pharma And Generics Industries At Odds Over UK VPAG Framework

 

The UK branded drug industry is calling for adjustments to be made to the UK voluntary scheme framework for branded medicines, after the payment rate increased to 22.9% for 2025. Meanwhile, the generics industry says the scheme is functioning “as intended” and opposes any changes.

Stelara Biosimilars Storm US Market With 85% Discounts Ahead Of Price Drop In Medicare

 
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The development could highlight the power of competitive market forces over government price controls or suggest Medicare price negotiation is enhancing competitive market forces.


Oz’s Magic: US CMS Administrator Pick Praises Staff, Unlike Other Trump Health Care Nominees

 

US CMS Administrator nominee Mehmet Oz promises to inspire the agency he is set to lead and seems likely to succeed compared to other Trump Administration nominees.

Medicare Part D Spending Cap Will Save Seniors $7bn in 2025, HHS Data Suggests

 
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An ASPE report on Part D savings released before the Trump Administration took office indicated the new $2,000 spending cap could save some beneficiaries thousands of dollars per year.

Industry Slams UK Plan To ‘Demand A Third’ Of Drug Company Revenue In Q2/Q3 2025

 

The government wants to raise the statutory scheme payment rate for newer branded medicines from 15.5% to 32.2%, after sales data for Q2 and Q3 2024 showed “higher than expected newer medicines sales growth.”

Medicare Price Negotiation ‘One of Many’ Solutions CMS Will Pursue, Oz Says

 
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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.


CMS May Engage In Medicare, 340B Discount Deduplication ‘Eventually,’ Ex-CMS Official Says

 
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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.

England Reimburses Ultra-Rare Disease Drug Joenja, While EU Regulatory Review Drags On

 

Pharming has convinced NICE to reverse its rejection of its treatment for APDS by providing the health technology assessment institute with more data. It has also dropped the price it was asking for the drug, which has a list price of £352,000 per year per patient.

Medicaid Cuts Could Prompt States To Tighten Drug Cost Controls, Former CMS Official Says

 
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Recently retired CMS veteran John Coster discussed potential Medicaid cuts, rebate cap elimination and obesity drug coverage in an interview with the Pink Sheet.

Health Insurers May Sue if CMS Finalizes Obesity Drug Coverage Expansion

 
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Insurance companies and others warned that CMS could be sued over its reinterpretation of existing law expanding coverage of GLP-1s for obesity treatment.


Pharma Firms Will ‘Walk Away’ From Gene Therapies Unless Payers Share Risk

 

The EU, US and other countries with similar health care systems must “take responsibility” for the financial and health risks involved in getting innovative drugs, such as gene therapies, to market, says an academic expert who has worked in the advanced therapy field.

IRA Negotiation Changes: Pharma’s Focus Remains On Near-Term Legislative, Regulatory Options

 
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Manufacturers still hope to advance legislation removing the “pill penalty” from the law, as well as changes they want included in the CMS guidance for the 2028 price implementation year.

PhRMA Kicks Off Year Attacking China, Wrapping Agenda In American Flag

 

US pharma leadership is painting its mission, particularly its goal to end Medicare price controls, as patriotic and essential to America’s global dominance over China, a move that seems designed to align with President Trump’s priorities.

Breyanzi Becomes Fourth CAR T-Cell Therapy Reimbursed In England

 

A lower asking price from BMS and more insight into the benefits Breyanzi offers have convinced the health technology assessment institute, NICE, to reverse its rejection of the one-off treatment for large B-cell lymphoma.


France Finally Passes Price Cutting Finance Bill – With Some Amendments

 

Some changes to the contentious social security financing bill have been made, but industry and the government remain at odds over a €1.2bn drugs overspend.

Innovative Access Solutions ‘Paving The Way’ To European Reimbursement For CSL’s Hemgenix

 

CSL Behring explains how it worked with authorities in Denmark, Austria, England, Scotland, Spain and Switzerland to secure innovative access arrangements suitable to each nation’s “unique needs” for its one-time gene therapy, Hemgenix.

PhRMA Still All In For Trump Despite Chaos Hitting US Health Sector

 

The pharmaceutical industry has been quiet on Trump's early federal government overhauls that could harm the drug business, still betting he will help produce better results than Biden.

CMS Layoffs Broader Than Reports Indicate, Former Administrator Brooks-LaSure Says

 
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The "interwoven" nature of the offices within the agency likely means Medicare and Medicaid benefits may be disrupted by staff cuts despite assurances from the administration, Brooks-LaSure warned.