Tag: most favored nation

Biden Administration Initiatives to Rein in Drug Prices—Déjà vu All Over Again

Merle M. DeLancey Jr.

On July 9, President Biden signed Executive Order 14063, designed to promote competition in the American economy with the goal of lowering prices for families, increasing wages for workers, and promoting innovation and even faster economic growth. The Order is expansive—requiring more than 12 federal agencies to pursue 72 initiatives. One of the Order’s prominent targets is drug pricing. At the signing ceremony, President Biden reiterated that “Americans pay two-and-a-half times more for prescription drugs than in any other leading country,” and “nearly one in four Americans struggles to afford their medication.” We have heard similar words multiple times before over many years, however, to date, there has been little progress.

The Order’s initiatives focusing on drug prices do not appear very different from similar efforts in recent years. First, the Order calls on the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) to create a plan within 45 days to combat “excessive pricing of prescription drugs and enhance domestic pharmaceutical supply chains, to reduce the prices paid by the federal government for such drugs, and to address the recurrent problem of price gouging.” While perhaps a good sound bite, this initiative is not new. In fact, it sounds similar to the Trump administration’s “Most Favored Nation” drug pricing initiative under which Medicare reimbursement for certain drugs would be based on lower prices in other countries. The call for a plan to be delivered in 45 days is curious since it is reported that HHS delivered a new, Biden administration, most favored nation drug pricing rule to the Office of Management Budget for review earlier last week. Perhaps the plan will address how the Biden administration can implement this policy and avoid being bogged down in litigation.

Continue reading “Biden Administration Initiatives to Rein in Drug Prices—Déjà vu All Over Again”

Administration Issues Executive Order Tying Medicare Drug Costs to International Prices

Merle M. DeLancey Jr.

On Sunday, while everyone was watching the return of NFL football, the Administration was busy fulfilling a promise it made in July to lower drug prices paid by the United States and Medicare beneficiaries by tying pricing to certain foreign countries.

In July, the Administration issued three Executive Orders concerning drug pricing and access to critical therapies. At that time, the Administration also announced that, unless the pharmaceutical industry proposed a plan that would decrease prices paid by Medicare Part B by August 24, the Administration would move forward with its own plan. Apparently, no agreement with the industry was reached because on Sunday the Administration announced its own plan.

In what is being called the “Most Favored Nations” Executive Order, the Administration is re-starting its efforts to reduce the prices the United States pays for drugs under Medicare Parts B and D. The Order uses the “most-favored-nation price” as the benchmark for prices to be paid by the United States. Most-favored-nation price is defined as the lowest price, after adjusting for volume and differences in national gross domestic product, for a pharmaceutical product that the drug manufacturer sells in a comparable member country of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (“OECD”).

Perhaps most surprising is the increased scope of the Order. The Order goes beyond what was proposed in July by seeking to link not only Medicare Part B drug prices but also Medicare Part D prices to lower prices paid by other countries. With respect to both Medicare Parts, the Department of Health and Human Services’ (“HHS”) “payment model” is to test whether poor clinical outcomes improve as a result of patients paying lower prices—no more than the most-favored-nation prices—for certain high-cost pharmaceuticals and biologics.

While the Order makes for a snappy sound bite, any potential benefits of lower drug prices will not be seen anytime soon. First, HHS will need to complete its rulemaking, which could have its own challenges. For example, in November 2018, HHS published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“ANPR”) proposing to implement an international reference pricing payment model for use by Medicare and Medicaid. Ultimately, nothing became of the ANPR. Even then, implementation of the contemplated programs is precarious. Industry opposition to the Order has been palpable and any HHS plan will likely face legal challenges that could substantially delay implementation.

Recent and Possible Executive Orders on Drug Pricing: What You Need to Know

Merle M. DeLancey Jr.

On July 24, 2020, President Trump signed three Executive Orders aimed at lowering prescription drug costs and increasing patients’ access to life-saving medications. A fourth Executive Order was discussed, which could reduce the prices Medicare Part B pays for drugs based upon international prices, unless the pharmaceutical industry implements measures in the next 30 days. Leaving politics and rhetoric aside, below are the key facts regarding the Executive Orders.

First Executive Order: Access to Affordable Life-Saving Medications

The Order: Click here to view the Order.

Effective Date:  July 24, 2020

Purpose: Requires Federally Qualified Health Centers (“FQHCs”) to pass on the discounted prices they pay for insulin and epinephrine to low income patients. FQHCs are federally funded, community-based health care providers serving low income patients and underserved areas. Under the Health and Human Services’ (“HHS”) 340B Drug Discount Program, drug manufacturers charge FQHCs statutorily discounted prices, sometimes as low as $0.01, for drugs including insulin and epinephrine. But FQHCs are not required to pass on the discounted prices to their patients. This Executive Order requires FQHCs to make insulin and epinephrine available to their patients at the price paid by the FQHC. The FQHC is permitted to charge a minimal administration fee. Continue reading “Recent and Possible Executive Orders on Drug Pricing: What You Need to Know”

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