And so, another working week will soon draw to a close. Not a moment too soon, yes? This is, you may recall, our treasured signal to daydream about weekend plans. Our agenda is, so far, rather modest. We plan to catch up on our reading, promenade with the official mascots, and putter about the castle. If time permits, we also hope to hold a listening party, where the rotation will likely include this, this, this, this and this. And what about you? Given this is the thick of the summer season, all sorts of possibilities exist. You could visit a beach or lake, take a hike among hills or mountains, or saunter along city streets. This may be an opportunity to sample new foods or curl up with a good book. Or perhaps make time for someone special. Well, whatever you do, have a grand time. But be safe. Enjoy, and see you soon. …
President Trump escalated his demands that pharmaceutical companies lower U.S. prices in line with what other countries pay, sending letters to 17 major drugmakers that called on them to take actions by Sept. 29, STAT says. He specifically asked them to provide their full portfolio of drugs to Medicaid patients at prices in line with what other major wealthy countries pay; guarantee that new drugs will be offered to Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial payers at those lower prices; implement direct-to-consumer distribution models for “high-volume, high rebate” drugs; and repatriate increased revenues that they earn abroad back to the U.S. The administration has specified that companies should set their U.S. prices at the lowest level offered in countries that are part of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and that have at least 60% of the gross domestic product per capita of the U.S. But the letters don’t lay out a specific authority to require lower prices.
The Trump administration is proposing a voluntary program in which pharmaceutical companies can offer rebates for a small number of therapies to hospitals that participate in a federal drug discount program, an effort to sort out a controversy that has roiled the health care industry, STAT writes. At issue is the 340B discount program, which was created to help hospitals and clinics care for low-income and rural patients. Drug companies that want to take part in Medicare or Medicaid must offer their medicines at a discount — typically, 25% to 50%, but sometimes higher — to participating hospitals and clinics. Right now, drug companies generally provide the discounts at the time of purchase. The pilot would encompass 10 medicines that are on the list of treatments slated for Medicare negotiations for 2026. The move upset hospital groups, which argue that switching to rebates would cause a financial squeeze.
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