Thursday September 27, Aetna announced plans sell its Medicare prescription drug plan business to WellCare Heath Plans, Inc. on December 31, 2018. WellCare Heath Plans, Inc. is a small health insurer based in Tampa, Florida. This divestiture is made up of approximately 2.2 million members, Aetna's entire standalone Medicare Part D patient base, but no price has been announced. Closing of this deal is contingent upon the closing of CVS Health Corporation’s proposed acquisition

Last week, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) announced S. 974, the Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples Act of 2018 (CREATES Act), would reduce spending by "$3.3 billion over the 2019 to 2028 period; increase revenues by $600 million over the same period; reduce unified budget deficits by $3.9 billion over the same period; and reduce spending subject to appropriation, on net, by $87 million over the 2019 to 2023 period" in their September 18 report. T

On Monday September 24th 2018, Congress passed the Patient Right to Know Drug Prices Act and the Know the Lowest Price Act. The purpose of these bills is to ban the imposition of gag clauses upon on pharmacists. These gag clauses previously prevented pharmacists from letting customers when they can save money using out-of-pocket payment options. Now pharmacists, who are important healthcare providers, can properly advise their patients about medication costs. The importance o

On Friday, September 14th, a Congressional briefing was held regarding the renegotiation of NAFTA and how certain changes under discussion could end up undermining the President’s Blueprint to lower drug prices in the United States by extending pharma monopolies. One of the provisions under discussion would increase brand-name drug exclusivity. Imposing additional brand-name drug exclusivity only keeps already high brand drug prices out of reach for patients for longer. The