US Price Negotiation Hearing Lays The Groundwork For Future Improvements

The pharma industry is hoping that litigation might end Medicare price negotiation before it begins. But a House hearing also starts the process of developing legislative improvements that might be viable in years to come – starting with trying to restore the lifespan of small molecules.

Capitol with medicine icons
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A proposal to equalize the commercial lifespan of small molecules and biologics at 13 years before becoming subject to Medicare price negotiation received the most attention among industry-suggested fixes to the Inflation Reduction Act price reform law during a House Energy & Commerce Oversight hearing last month.

Key Takeaways

  • The September hearing marks the formal beginning of the legislative effort to reform or repeal the Medicare price setting program.

The IRA sets a shorter timeline (nine years) before small molecules are subject to price cuts under the law –...

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