Democrats unite against Big Health Care
Summary
Newly elected Democrats from conservative states are backing measures to curb health care costs by targeting insurers, hospitals, drugmakers and other health companies. The proposals include limits on insurer profits, broader Medicare drug price negotiations and restrictions on shared ownership among health businesses; some have drawn interest from Republicans.Key Facts
- Texas Sen.-elect James Talarico campaigned on breaking up large health care companies and stopping hospitals and insurers from overcharging patients.
- South Carolina Sen.-elect Annie Andrews supports limiting insurer profits per enrollee, expanding Medicare drug price negotiations and banning private equity-owned hospitals.
- Kansas Sen.-elect Adam Hamilton supports extending negotiated Medicare drug prices to private health plans and addressing federal overpayments to Medicare Advantage plans.
- Other proposals under discussion include addressing medical debt and pharmacy benefit manager practices, and capping out-of-pocket drug costs.
- Sen. Elizabeth Warren's Break Up Big Medicine Act, co-sponsored by Republican Sen. Josh Hawley, would prohibit common ownership of health plans and providers.
- A House health care working group has proposed capping excessive hospital prices and adopting site-neutral payments, which pay the same rate for a service regardless of where it is provided.
- Rep. Morgan Griffith, the top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, said he had heard the case for separating pharmacies, pharmacy benefit managers and insurers under common ownership.
- Sen. Ron Wyden said he is open to codifying President Trump's most-favored-nation drug pricing agreements in exchange for expanding the number of drugs subject to Medicare price negotiations.
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