Corrupt Congress
Congress not only indirectly raised the cost of healthcare by not allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, but also in at least one case, it raised the cost of drugs through a pinpoint piece of legislation. The New York Times reported a provision buried in the “fiscal cliff” bill passed in January 2013 gave Amgen, […]
Disrupting Healthcare
The State of the Union topics about tax reform, jobs, immigration, and infrastructure are all important, but what about healthcare? Healthcare represents nearly 20% of our economy, people are going bankrupt or dying because of the cost of drugs, basic healthcare is unaffordable for millions, and we are the only developed country in the world […]
Hospitals Attack High Drug Prices
Intermountain Healthcare is a Utah-based, not-for-profit system of 22 hospitals, a Medical Group with more than 1,600 physicians and advanced practice clinicians at about 180 clinics. Generic drugs account for 85% of the drugs Intermountain’s hospitals and clinics administer. The generic drugs account for one-third of Intermountain’s cost. As is the case for all healthcare providers, the […]
Drug Makers Putting Profit Before The Elderly
The Medpage Today staff reported this week on a CNN investigation of Nuedexta, a drug approved for PseudoBulbar Affect (PBA). The investigation found PBA is being marketed aggressively to the elderly as a therapy for dementia. Even though independent studies indicate PBA is only rarely associated with dementia, Avanir, the drug’s manufacturer, has spent millions of dollars promoting […]
Big Pharma and Politics
At a rally in Kentucky, President Donald Trump said drug prices were “outrageous”. The next day, according to Kaiser Health News, the pharmaceutical industry donated more money to political campaigns than any other day this year. On March 21, eight pharma political action committees made 137 contributions to 77 politicians totaling nearly $280,000. Both Republicans and […]