Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said he wants to eliminate rebates that drugmakers pay to pharmacy benefit managers in government drug plans.
The White House abandoned the ideal out of concern that insurance companies would increase premiums for seniors.
“The administration threw us a curve ball” when it scrapped the proposal, Mr. Grassley said during a planned markup of the Senate package to lower drug prices, according to CNBC.
Mr. Grassley and Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., introduced drug-pricing legislation July 22. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill could save taxpayers about $100 billion, reduce out-of-pocket costs by $27 billion and deliver $5 billion in savings on premiums.
More articles on pharmacy:
9 recent drug, device recalls
Owens Healthcare to sell 12 retail pharmacies to CVS
The pharmacies that received the most opioids in every state
Becker’s 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit is the top tier event that the people leading the future of pharmacy convene. This 3-day event is built specifically for Chief Pharmacy Officers and senior pharmacy leaders. The sessions examine the workforce, financial and clinical priorities shaping pharmacy today. Becker’s is where candid discussions flourish and new ideas thrive. Becker's 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit