Healthcare Policy Pop - Patients Rising Now

Latest Episodes:

Healthcare Worker Shortage Far From Over May 18, 2023

Show notes

Dr. Clive Fields, Co-Founder of VillageMD, discusses the current healthcare worker shortage and some possible solutions; the Senate Finance Health Care Subcommittee holds a hearing to improve access to rural healthcare; the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee holds a markup of 17 bills including a 340B bill for transparency; and patient correspondent Montana Kirby explains why Medicaid Expansion in North Carolina is so important for chronic disease patients.

VillageMD Webpage

Senate Finance Webpage: Improving Health Care Access in Rural Communities: Obstacles and Opportunities

House Energy and Commerce Webpage: A Health Subcommittee Markup of 17 Bills

Patients Rising Webpage: Patients Rising Stories

Senate HELP Addresses PBMs May 16, 2023

Show notes

Erin Callahan, Chief Operating Officer for the Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition and the Diabetes Leadership Council, recaps what she noticed from the Senate HELP Committee Hearing on PBMs and Insulin; the Senate HELP Committee holds a markup on the Pharmacy Benefit Manager Reform Act, where an amendment was offered on step therapy; and Dr. Joanne Kaiser-Smith, President of the American College of Osteopathic Internists, tells us the importance of the Senate’s reintroduction of the Safe Step Act.

Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition Webpage

Diabetes Leadership Council Webpage

News Release: Physicians Wenstrup, Ruiz Lead Reintroduction of Safe Step Act to Improve Patients Access to Treatments

News Release: Senator Hassan and Colleagues Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Ensure That Patients Can Get the Medication They Need

Crises in Drug Shortages + Medical Supplies May 11, 2023

Show notes

Dr. Marion Mass, a pediatrician, explains how Group Purchasing Organizations play a large role in drug and medical supply shortages; the House E&C’s Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee is hosting a hearing about the root causes of drug shortages and supply chain issues; the Senate HELP Committee markup on PBMs is today after being postponed from last week; and Dr. Nikki Johnson, a pediatrician, discusses her personal experience with shortages caused by GPOs.

Bloomberg Government News Article: White House Assembles Secret Team to Tackle Drug Shortages, Quality Woes

House E&C Oversight & Investigations Subcomittee Hearing: “Examining the Root Causes of Drug Shortages: Challenges in Pharmaceutical Drug Supply Chains”

Patients Rising Podcast: GPOs Cause Dangerous Shortages

Accessible Air Travel for Patients May 09, 2023

Show notes

Paul Melmeyer, Vice President of Public Policy and Advocacy for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, previews the organization’s Hill Day which focuses on Accessible Air Travel; Demeshia Montgomery, President of the new Patients Rising Now Patient Senate, tells us about the importance of patient voices; the Senate HELP committee is set to hold a hearing entitled “The Need to Make Insulin Affordable for All Americans” on May 10th; and our Patient Correspondent is Brandi Privitera from South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District.

Muscular Dystrophy Association Webpage

Senate HELP News Release: HELP Committee to Bring CEOs of Major Insulin Manufacturers and PBMs Together for Historic Hearing to Discuss the Need to Lower Insulin Prices and the Cost of Other Prescription Drugs

What’s Happening in the States May 04, 2023

Show notes

Keyla Caba (MA-03), a member of Patients Rising Now and a patient living with Crohn’s Disease, testifies before the Massachusetts State Legislature about Copay Accumulator Programs and high deductibles; Rich Pezzillo, Executive Director of the New England Hemophilia Association, discusses his work with Patients for Prescription Access and how the group is aligning patient organizations into a powerful force against Copay Accumulators; Tuesday’s scheduled HELP markup has been delayed; and Leah Bush, our patient correspondent from North Carolina’s 11th congressional district, discusses hidden by-products of step therapy.

Massachusetts House Bill 953

Massachusetts Senate Bill 609

Patients for Prescription Access Webpage

New England Hemophilia Association Webpage

Copay Accumulators - A Detailed Report & RI Fighting Back May 02, 2023

Show notes

Dr. Robert Popovian, Chief Science Policy Officer at the Global Healthy Living Foundation, co-authors a comprehensive report for the Pioneer Institute on the impacts of PBMs and Copay Accumulator programs; the Senate HELP Committee hosts a markup on the Pharmacy Benefit Manager Reform Act; Ryan Strik, Rhode Island Government Relations Director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, discusses Copay Accumulator legislation that their organization and dozens of others are trying to pass; and Patients Rising Now releases a Patient Impact Report on Copay Accumulators.

Pioneer Health Report: Out-of-Pocket Pirates – Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and the Confiscation of Out-of-Pocket Assistance Programs

Global Health Living Foundation Webpage: Impact of Legislation Protecting Patient Assistance Programs on Health Insurance Premiums

Senate HELP Committee Webpage: Executive Session

Rhode Island Cancer Action Center Webpage

Patients Rising Now Patient Impact Report: Copay Accumulator Programs Double-Dip Into Patient Wallets

Liver Disease Patients at ICER, Healthcare Congressional Focus Apr 27, 2023

Show notes

Donna Cryer, CEO of the Global Liver Institute, previews liver disease patient advocates’ testimonies ahead of an ICER meeting on two new treatments; the House Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee holds a hearing titled Reducing Health Care Costs for Working Americans and Their Families; the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hosted its own meeting about the importance of addressing unaffordable costs in healthcare; and correspondent Kathi Luis lives in Michigan’s 9th district and sees how Copay Accumulator programs are hurting patients.

Global Liver Institute Webpage

CNBC News Article: FDA grants accelerated approval for Biogen ALS drug that treats rare form of the disease

Patients Rising Webpage: Patients Rising Stories

PBM Lawsuit; How QALYs Discriminate Apr 25, 2023

Show notes

A new book from Dr. Bill Smith of the Pioneer Institute outlines how quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) discriminate against patients and threaten rare disease innovation; Antonio Ciaccia breaks down Ohio’s lawsuit against PBMs and the issue of vertical integration; and Pat Carroll from Connecticut talks about how copay accumulator programs make it difficult for patients to afford care.

Crapo, Wyden Release Legislative Framework to Address PBMs, Prescription Drug Supply Chain

Yost Sues Express Scripts, Prime Therapeutics and 5 Others, Blaming Exorbitant Drug Prices on Their Collusion

Rationing Medicine: Threats from European Cost-Effectiveness Models to America’s Seniors and other Vulnerable Populations

Patients Rising Stories

Alzheimer’s Treatments Restricted, Expanding Primary Care Apr 20, 2023

Show notes

The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee considers extending several bills, including those that would bolster primary care services; Sue Peschin, the President of the Alliance for Aging Research, examines how CMS has been using Coverage with Evidence Development to restrict patients’ ability to access Alzheimer’s care; and Jess Wofford from Pennsylvania’s 17th district discusses the pitfalls of copay accumulator programs.

House Committee on Energy and Commerce YouTube Video: “Examining Existing Federal Programs to Build a Stronger Health Workforce and Improve Primary Care”

Alliance for Aging Research Webpage: Alliance Report: Medicare Using ‘Coverage with Evidence Development’ to Ration Patient Access to FDA-Approved Treatments

RealClearHealth Webpage: People Living With Early Alzheimer's Need President Biden’s Help

Patients Rising Stories

Medicare Part B Meeting, 340B Implications Apr 18, 2023

Show notes

MedPAC, a group advising Congress on Medicare issues, held a vote on 3 recommendations to reduce prices for accelerated approval drugs covered under Medicare Part B; David Balat, Healthcare Policy Director for the Texas Public Policy Foundation, says vague language surrounding the 340B program allows it to be misused; Patients Rising Now submits comments on CMS’ Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program Guidance; The Safe Step Act is reintroduced in the House; and Shannon Sharp is our patient correspondent from Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District who discusses copay accumulator programs.

MedPAC Webpage: April 2023 Public Meeting

Wilcox: MedPAC’s Part B Recommendations Threaten Patient Access to Care

Patients Rising Now: Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program Guidance Memo

News Release: Physicians Wenstrup, Ruiz Lead Reintroduction of Safe Step Act to Improve Patient Access to Treatments

X-Linked Hypophosphatemia and Copay Accumulators X-Linked Hypophosphatemia Robbed by Copay Accumulator practice