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As more states create dedicated boards to cap the costs of medicines, some drugmakers and their allies are pushing back with a controversial tactic — lobbying for legislation to set exemptions for so-called orphan drugs, which are used to combat rare diseases that afflict relatively small groups of patients. (Silverman, 3/21)

Medicare will likely choose the obesity drug semaglutide for price negotiation “within the next few years,” according to a new analysis from nonpartisan congressional budget experts. That could curb the cost of legislation requiring Medicare to cover obesity drugs, which would increase the chances of Congress actually passing such a bill. (Wilkerson, 3/20)

Americans are flocking to drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound, drawn by the prospect of rapid weight loss. But a monthly cost that can exceed $1,000 and scant insurance coverage mean users drop off the treatments almost as quickly as they get on. A group of companies sees this as an opportunity. Targeting current and former users of the medications, they’re offering telehealth checkups, lifestyle coaching, access to community support groups, exercise advice and other features—all with the aim of keeping the pounds off once the treatment has ended. (Denham, 3/21)

�鶹Ů�� Health News: Biden Said Medicare Drug Price Negotiations Cut The Deficit By $160B. That's Years Away

President Joe Biden has been making his case for reelection to voters by telling them he is good for their pocketbooks, including at the pharmacy counter. During his State of the Union address, Biden said legislation he signed gave Medicare the power to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. (Sherman, 3/21)

Baltimore is taking Eli Lilly and other pharmaceutical giants to court, accusing them of artificially inflating the cost of insulin and other diabetes medications. Mayor Brandon Scott, a Democrat, and the Baltimore City Council filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of Maryland against Eli Lilly and 17 other companies, including CVS and drug maker Novo Nordisk. They are requesting a jury trial. (Roberts, 3/20)

British pharmaceutical giant GSK said on Wednesday it would cap out-of-pocket costs for all its inhaled asthma and chronic lung disease medicines at $35 per month for eligible patients in the United States, following similar moves by two of its rivals. GSK said the decision will take effect by Jan. 1, 2025. (3/20)