Drug prices are going down: AARP

The AARP published a report about drug pricing — retail drug pricing. This is going to mess with the narrative:

Between 2016 and 2017, retail prices for 390 generic prescription drugs widely used by older Americans, including Medicare beneficiaries, fell by an average of 9.3 percent. This followed two consecutive years (2015 and 2016) of substantial generic drug price decreases.

A billion here, a billion there…

Medicare — aka you, me, and other taxpayers — spent $13.3 billion in 2017 on insulin. That’s an eye-popping 840% increase since just 2007 for a century-old medication*.

No matter what side of the aisle you’re on (or even if you’re on the balcony), you can probably think of some better uses for that money … which is why Congress is taking a good hard look at the issue.

* Yes, we know it’s technically a hormone, and that today’s insulins are usually analogs rather than actual human insulin, but honestly, does that really change the point?

PBMs, DIR fees in the hot seat

PBM execs are strapping on their halos and practicing their smiles as they prepare to testify before Congress this week to explain how they help keep drug prices down, and it’s everyone else’s fault that prices are going so high.

Meanwhile, we’re all waiting to see if HHS will issue a new drug-pricing rule that would “move pharmacy price concessions to point-of-sale, eliminating the retroactive nature of pharmacy direct and indirect remuneration, or DIR, fees,” according to the NCPA.

E. Coli outbreak

Several states, including Georgia, are experiencing an E. Coli outbreak according to the CDC … which doesn’t have a lot more info. That means it can’t tell you what foods to avoid. So just, you know, wash and cook your food.

It’s not done yet

“Health care is a very high priority for tens of millions of people,” said federal Judge Richard Leon. So he’s set a week in May to hear from groups, including pharmacists, who are opposed to the yet-to-be-approved CVS/Aetna merger.

Bless you

If you’ve been sneezing a lot lately, there’s good reason for that.