Pharma lobby mounts last-ditch effort to fix prescription 'doughnut hole'

Washington Examiner

20 September 2018 - The pharmaceutical lobby is mounting a last-ditch effort to add a measure to an opioid abuse bill that would block an increase to the portion of a drug's cost the industry must cover under Medicare, sources tell the Washington Examiner.

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America is under pressure to fix the so-called “doughnut hole” after the influential industry group failed to add a measure addressing the issue to a prior bill to fund the Department of Health and Human Services.

PhRMA has been advocating for a package that would roll back a measure included in the February government spending bill that increases in 2019 the industry's payment obligations in the Medicare Part D program. The provision would obligate pharmaceutical companies to provide a 70 percent discount on drugs offered in the Medicare Part D program, and PhRMA is trying to lower that discount to 63 percent before the increase takes effect.

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Michael Wonder

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Michael Wonder