Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Hospitals Push For Medicare Advantage Boost To Cover 340B Drugs
Hospitals’ fight to boost Medicare Advantage reimbursement has extended to plans' pay for 340B drugs. The hospitals’ plea to adjust Medicare Advantage pay stems from regulation aimed at making providers that participate in the drug discount program whole after the Supreme Court reversed 340B rate cuts that were in place from 2018 to 2022. (Kacik, 4/22)
When drug company reps visit doctors, it usually includes lunch or dinner and a conversation about a new drug. These direct-to-physician marketing interactions are tracked as payments in a public database, and a new study shows the meetings work. That is, doctors prescribe about five percent more oncology drugs following a visit from a pharmaceutical representative, according to the new study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research this month. But the researchers also found that the practice doesn't make cancer patients live longer. (Lupkin, 4/22)
The Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved a new treatment for a type of bladder cancer. The treatment, which will be sold under the brand name Anktiva, is intended for some patients suffering from certain types of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, according to an FDA statement announcing the approval. (4/22)
A contaminated batch of Benylin Paediatric Syrup is no longer available in the African countries where it was sold, the World Health Organization said on Monday. Earlier this month, Nigeria recalled a batch of the children's cough and allergy medicine after tests found that it contained unacceptable levels of the toxin, diethylene glycol. Five other African countries have also pulled the product from shelves - Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and South Africa, where the drug was made. (4/22)
It’s been a busy six months for Walgreens CEO Tim Wentworth. The former Cigna executive came out of retirement last October to take the helm at one of the nation’s largest retail pharmacy chains, which employs 240,000 people and operates almost 9,000 stores across the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Walgreens estimates it has a store within 5 miles of 78% of consumers. (Hudson, 4/19)
