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WILL PROGRESSIVES BLOCK THE DRUG PRICING BILL? That’s the big question Tuesday as the House Rule Committee prepares to advance the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act.
Ryan Grim and David Dayen at The Intercept and the American Prospect write that a dramatic showdown is ahead between Democratic leadership and the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which counts 98 in its membership and feels the legislation doesn’t go far enough in cracking down on the pharmaceutical industry.
Progressives don’t like that the bill only requires that 25 drugs get negotiated, with more negotiations being optional, and they’re upset that a provision from Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington to discourage companies from hike drug prices has been watered down.
The Rules Committee is voting on the bill Tuesday, which would then send it to the floor for a vote on Thursday. If Progressives block the bill, then negotiations will continue.
But that’s not the end of the story. Progressives could agree to let the bill reach the floor as long as members get to vote on their amendments. Ultimately, only 18 votes against the bill from members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus would be enough to sink it, given that all Republicans are expected to vote against.
Reminder: This bill won’t become law, but is a messaging tool for Democrats, who ran on the promise to lower drug prices in 2018 and want to show that they will follow through if voters elect a Democrat to the White House in 2020. It’ll be a problem for the party if they don’t succeed at passing the bill this week.
Good morning and welcome to the Washington Examiner’s Daily on Healthcare! This newsletter is written by senior healthcare reporter Kimberly Leonard (@LeonardKL) and healthcare reporter Cassidy Morrison (@CassMorrison94). You can reach us with tips, calendar items, or suggestions at [email protected]. If someone forwarded you this email and you’d like to receive it regularly, you can subscribe here.
‘MEDICARE FOR ALL’ GETS ITS MOMENT IN E+C: Co-sponsors of the Medicare for All Act have been pushing for this for a while, after scoring House hearings in three other committees. Once again, however, the proposal will have to share the spotlight. Eight other bills that aim to insure more people will be up for debate. The hearing kicked off Tuesday morning just ahead of our newsletter send off. Tune in to see how it goes.
INDIANA ASKS SUPREME COURT TO TAKE UP ABORTION LICENSING QUESTION: This involves an abortion clinic in South Bend, Indiana, the hometown of Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, where he is mayor. On Tuesday morning, GOP Attorney General Curtis Hill asked the Supreme Court to reverse a decision by 7th Circuit to let an abortion clinic remain open, despite being denied a license by the state health department. In denying the license, the state said that the clinic in question, Whole Woman’s Health, didn’t provide documentation about its safety record in other states.
‘PAID LEAVE FOR ALL’ LAUNCHES AS THE ISSUE GETS THE SPOTLIGHT IN WASHINGTON: The new “Paid Leave for All” campaign comes as the House Oversight and Reform Committee holds a hearing on the issue (tune in) and as the White House is holding a summit Thursday on paid leave.
The campaign is pushing the Democratic approach to paid leave, which would fund parental and sick leave through a payroll tax. Organizations involved in the push include Family Values at Work, the National Partnership for Women and Families, the Center for American Progress, a Better Balance, Moms Rising, and several labor unions.
It’s all rocket science. The Washington Post scooped this weekend that there’s a deal afoot to allow paid leave for federal workers in exchange for Congress funding Space Force, which would become the sixth branch of the military.
GOP INTRODUCES A COUNTERMOVE TO PELOSI’S HEALTHCARE COSTS BILL: House Republicans, including Greg Walden and Michael Burgess, introduced the Lower Costs, More Cures Act Monday to counter Pelosi’s bill. Here is a summary of the GOP bill’s most notable provisions:
- The bill would place a yearly cap out-of-pocket drug costs at $3,100 for Medicare beneficiaries, as well as a monthly cap, to eliminate the point at which drug costs have reached the limit that Medicare would cover, called the “donut hole,” or coverage gap. As of 2019, the donut hole for brand name drugs has closed so now patients are responsible for paying only 25% — rather than 100% — for their brand name drugs. That causes an increase in prices that people pay for prescription drugs. In 2020, the donut whole for generics will close, too, and patients will be responsible for 25% of the cost.
- It also bans “pay for delay” practices that obstruct the process of introducing generic drugs, in an effort to boost competition.
- It establishes a monthly $50 post-deductible cap on insulin for seniors beginning in 2022.
- Drug companies will have to report on excessive price increases and publicly disclose all drug discounts
33% OF HOUSEHOLDS DELAYED HEALTHCARE SERVICES DUE TO COST THIS YEAR: Gallup reported that a record 33% of people said they or a family member delayed treatment for a medical condition because of high costs, and 25% of them for serious conditions. The rates of lower-income families and people with pre-existing conditions delaying care each jumped 13 percentage points in the past year. Delaying care increased the number of people going to emergency centers for immediate care, which could be a result of an aging population or more people living near hospitals. But it may also be indicative of a need for more emergency care or a lack of routine care.
FORMER TRUMP DOCTOR IS RUNNING FOR CONGRESS: Former White House doctor Ronny Jackson has filed paperwork to run for representative of Texas’s 13th District, hoping to take over retiring congressman Mac Thornberry’s seat. Trump nominated Jackson Department of Veterans Affairs, but he withdrew from his nomination amid allegations that he was drinking on the job and over-prescribed medication. Jackson denied the allegations, and Trump was outraged at Senate Democrats over the incident.
‘NO ONE’S IN CHARGE’: DEFENSE OFFICIALS COULDN’T STEM THE FLOW OF DRUGS FROM AFGHANISTAN: In 2004, then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld wrote to the undersecretary of Defense Douglas Feith that the U.S. government had no strategy to stem the flow of drugs out of Afghanistan following the 2001 invasion. Rumsfeld wrote: “with respect to drug strategy for Afghanistan, it appears not to be synchronized — no one’s in charge.” The memo is part of an extensive collection of government documents detailing the failures of the invasion, including several from Rumsfeld asking the Bush administration for a plan to take on Afghanistan’s opium trade, which skyrocketed after 2001.
PrEP ON DEMAND? That’s the topic of Kimberly’s latest magazine item, which dives into the push to make HIV-prevention drugs more available to patients who need them. Next year in California, pharmacists who undergo training will be able to prescribe the drugs to patients, and more states are likely not far behind.
The Rundown
ProPublica Sen. Chuck Grassley wants a hospital system that sued poor patients to explain itself
Politico Joe Kennedy calls on Medicare chief to resign after reports of jewelry claim, PR contracts
The New York Times Missouri, Planned Parenthood head to court over funding
Cleveland Plain Dealer Ohio bill aims to increase in-network care for mental health, addiction treatment
Kaiser Health News In campaign to stop teen vaping, states turn to tried-and-true remedy: Taxes
Calendar
TUESDAY | Dec. 10
9 a.m. 1225 I St. NW. Bipartisan Policy Center event on “Examining Pharmaceutical Patent Practices & Their Impact on Drug Prices.” Details.
10 a.m. 2154 Rayburn. House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing on “Examining the Need for Comprehensive National Paid Family and Medical Leave.” Tune in..
10 a.m. 2123 Rayburn. Health Energy and Commerce’s Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing on “Securing the U.S. Drug Supply Chain: Oversight of FDA’s Foreign Inspection Program.” Details.
10:30 a.m. 2322 Rayburn. Health Energy and Commerce’s Health Subcommittee to hold hearing on “Proposals to Achieve Universal Health Care Coverage.” Details.
1:30 p.m. Cannon 210. Member forum on youth vaping. Livestream.
3 p.m. H-313. House Rules Committee to consider the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act. Details.
WEDNESDAY | Dec. 11
8 a.m. 1099 14th Street NW. Axios event on “The Future of Comprehensive Healthcare.” Details.
10 a.m. 1225 I St. NW. Bipartisan Policy Center event on “Modernizing the Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute to Promote Value-Based Care.” Details.
SUNDAY | Dec. 15
Final day of healthcare.gov open enrollment.
