Latest news with #KFF
NBC News
13 hours ago
- Business
- NBC News
Trump gives drugmakers 60 days to slash prescription drug prices
President Donald Trump sent letters to more than a dozen major drugmakers Thursday demanding that they lower the cost of prescription drugs in the U.S. within 60 days. In the letters — which Trump published on his social media platform Truth Social — the drugmakers were told to offer the 'full portfolio' of their existing medications to Medicaid patients at the same prices paid abroad, also known as the 'most favored nation' rule. He also told drugmakers to 'guarantee' that patients on Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance get the same lower prices that are paid abroad for all newly approved drugs 'both upon launch and moving forward.' He also demanded that drugmakers return any additional revenues earned abroad to U.S. taxpayers, and create a 'direct to consumer' option for certain medications that would also be offered at lower prices. 'Make no mistake: a collaborative effort towards achieving global pricing parity would be the most effective path for companies, the government, and American patients,' Trump wrote in the letters. 'But if you refuse to step up, we will deploy every tool in our arsenal to protect American families from continued abusive drug pricing practices.' It's unclear, experts say, whether Trump has the authority to force drugmakers to lower the cost of their prescription drugs without the help of Congress. What's more, any attempt to do so is likely to be met with fierce pushback from the drug industry. 'It may take more than a tough letter from the President to motivate the pharmaceutical industry to drop their prices,' said Tricia Neuman, executive director of the program on Medicare policy at KFF, a nonpartisan health policy research group. 'The voluntary approach hasn't worked so far to drive down drug prices,' she added. 'Drug prices tend to go down when compelled by law or in response to competition.' Trump has repeatedly complained — during both terms — that people in the U.S. pay far more for prescription drugs than people in other countries. Indeed, prescription drug prices in the United States are notoriously high — up to 10 times more than in other nations of similar size and wealth, according to the Rand Corp., a public policy think tank. More than 3 in 4 adults in the U.S. say the cost of medications is unaffordable, according to a poll from KFF. In May, Trump signed an executive order instructing federal health officials to renew an effort to implement the 'most favored nation' rule — a strategy he pursued unsuccessfully during his first term. The 17 letters were sent Thursday to major drugmakers such as Eli Lilly, GSK, Pfizer, Merck, Johnson & Johnson, Amgen, Novo Nordisk and Novartis. NBC News has reached out to all 17 companies for comment. A spokesperson for Novo Nordisk said the company 'remains focused on improving patient access and affordability, and we will continue to work to find solutions that help people access the medication they need.' A spokesperson for Johnson & Johnson said the company was still reviewing the letter, and referred NBC News to the pharmaceutical industry's top lobbying group, PhRMA, for comment. PhRMA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Trump administration does have another tool at its disposal to lower the cost of prescription drugs: Medicare drug pricing negotiations. Signed into law by President Joe Biden through the Inflation Reduction Act, the provision allows Medicare to negotiate prices on the costliest medications. The first round of negotiations is estimated to save Medicare $6 billion in 2026, when the prices are expected to go into effect.
Hindustan Times
13 hours ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Woman faces $20K hospital bills after bat flies into her mouth in freak accident
A Massachusetts woman was forced to pay over $20,000 in medical bills after a bat flew into her mouth. The bizarre incident occurred when Erica Kahn, 33, was on a trip to Arizona, where she was taking photos of the night sky. She is now facing difficulties in managing her finances after undergoing preventive rabies treatment. Massachusetts woman has bizarre encounter with a bat(Unsplash) What happened to Erica Kahn? Narrating her ordeal to KFF Health News, Erica stated that the bizarre incident took place in August last year while she was doing photography in Arizona. At first, she witnessed the bat as it was caught between her head and the camera. She got scared and started screaming. It was at this moment that the bat partially ended up in her mouth. While the incident lasted only a few seconds, Erica's father, who is a doctor, advised her to consider a series of rabies vaccinations. However, she thought that the bat did not bite her during the encounter. Erica told the news outlet that she was recently laid off from her biomedical engineering position. A day after the incident, she went on to buy a health insurance policy online to help out in covering the treatment cost. However, she was surprised to learn that the insurance company denied payments for her treatment, which she sought at multiple facilities in Arizona, Massachusetts, and Colorado. The company cited '30-day waiting period' as its reason for the same. Also read: New COVID variant bizarre symptoms: What treatments are available and how you can protect yourself 'The required waiting period for this service has not been met,' the company allegedly told her, according to KFF Health News. For her treatment, she visited a total of four centers, while her total bills reached nearly $20,749. Erica said that she first thought that the company's denial 'must have been a mistake.' But she later realized that she was being 'naive.' Therafter, she went on to join another company and was later able to negotiate one of the bills, besides setting the payment plan for another one. As per KFF, she continues to appeal for her rejected payments to cover the remaining amount of her debt. Also, it was stated that she previously had a coverage plan, but it lapsed after she lost her job. FAQs: 1. What happened with Erica Kahn? She was on a vacation in Arizona when a bat entered her mouth. 2. When did the incident take place? It happened in August last year. 3. What was the cost of her treatment? Erica's total bills reached nearly $20,749.
Axios
21 hours ago
- Health
- Axios
What it costs to give birth in Louisiana
If you're giving birth in Louisiana anytime, you can expect to see a total in-network cost of around $11,300 for a vaginal delivery and $14,800 for a C-section, per data from FAIR Health. The big picture: Those numbers put the cost of giving birth in Louisiana among the lowest in the nation. By the numbers: The nationwide average in-network cost is about $15,200 for vaginal deliveries and $19,300 for C-sections, the national independent nonprofit reports. How it works: The amounts in the FAIR Health Cost of Giving Birth Tracker include delivery, ultrasounds, lab work and more. They reflect total costs paid by patients as well as their insurance companies, as applicable. Financial responsibilities of insured patients are typically well below the total amount paid, with average out-of-pocket costs of just under $3,000 in 2018-2020, per a 2022 analysis by the Peterson Center and KFF. What they're saying: Many factors drive the differences between states, Rachel Kent of FAIR Health tells Axios, including provider training levels, local salaries and costs of living, malpractice insurance costs and insurer bargaining power. Between the lines: Black and Hispanic people paid more out-of-pocket for maternal care than Asian and white patients with the same insurance, per a study published earlier this year in JAMA Health Forum.
Newsweek
a day ago
- Health
- Newsweek
New York Removes Nearly 1 Million People From Health Care Plan
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Nearly one million Americans have been removed from a health care plan in New York over the last two years, according to data from KFF, a nonprofit health policy research and news organization. Between March 2023 and March 2025, around 930,000 people in New York were disenrolled from the Medicaid program as part of the unwinding process happening nationwide in the wake of the COVID pandemic. When approached for comment, New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald told Newsweek in a statement: "The passage of the Congressional Budget Reconciliation Bill poses a serious threat to the health and well-being of New Yorkers." "A rollback of this magnitude jeopardizes the stability of health care facilities around the state, strips health insurance coverage from New Yorkers, and will have direct, harmful impacts on working families, children, older adults, and individuals with disabilities. "As we continue to assess the impacts of the bill the department will remain steadfast in its commitment to protecting the health of all New Yorkers and will work to mitigate the impacts of this law." Newsweek reached out to the state Medicaid service via email for comment. Why It Matters While some of these Americans disenrolled from the program may have access to other forms of health insurance, via their employer, for example, some may lose all access to health coverage, leaving them in a vulnerable position. Without coverage, these Americans may delay seeking medical care, potentially increasing demand for emergency care services, ramping up costs and worsening chronic and mental health conditions. Following the passage of President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which is set to alter the Medicaid program significantly, forecasts predict that millions may lose coverage, heightening concerns about the potential impact on Americans' access to healthcare. Stock photo of a doctor completing a form while seeing a patient. Stock photo of a doctor completing a form while seeing a To Know Some states expanded access to Medicaid, the federal health program for those with limited income and resources, during the COVID pandemic under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It was only in March 2023 that states were allowed to start "unwinding" the expanded enrollment, as previously, federal rules had determined that states had to keep Medicaid recipients on the program, regardless of changes to eligibility. In New York, there were 7,518,061 covered by Medicaid in March 2023, but by March 2025, that number was 6,585,835, KFF data shows. Compared to other highly populated states, like Texas and Florida, New York's drop in Medicaid-covered individuals, like California's, was not as steep; Texas and Florida both had declines of over one million. While the drop over the two years was notable, there was still a 10 percent difference between the 2025 enrollment figures in New York compared to the 2020 figures, showing that enrollment had not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. There are many reasons for the difference in unwinding rates between these states, including that "Texas and Florida haven't expanded Medicaid while California and New York have," Paul Shafer, a professor in health law, policy and management at Boston University, told Newsweek. "Even though the coverage losses are still large in terms of raw numbers in California and New York, they are well below the national average as a share of enrollment because people could have relatively higher incomes, up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, under Medicaid expansion and stay enrolled," he said. Another factor could be that California and New York also "had much higher rates of ex parte or automated renewals by the state, meaning fewer people had to fill out paperwork that can be a barrier and cause many to fall through the cracks even when still eligible," Shafer said. What People Are Saying Paul Shafer, a professor in health law, policy and management at Boston University, told Newsweek: "Nearly 5 million Americans lost Medicaid coverage in just these four states over two years. We have to hope that many were able to get coverage through the Marketplace or employers as the economy recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic." He added: "We would expect to see the uninsured rate rising over time, if these Americans aren't finding other sources of health insurance coverage. This could have dire implications for their health, especially for those with chronic conditions like hypertension or diabetes, and also increase the burden of uncompensated care on health systems." What Happens Next As the unwinding continues, more reductions in enrollment are expected across the country, elevating concerns about how the rates of uninsured Americans could impact health outcomes.
Axios
a day ago
- Business
- Axios
GOP tax-spending bill sets path for direct primary care boost
Providers of "direct primary care" who charge patients a monthly fee for unlimited visits and workups are poised to become big winners from the new Republican tax-and-spending law. Why it matters: The law for the first time allows patients to tap their health savings accounts for the concierge-like primary care arrangements, and lets employers extend both benefits, in the belief they're more efficient than the traditional fee-for-service system. The change aligns with a Project 2025 goal to promote more personalized and flexible direct primary care, and a GOP penchant for expanding the use of high-deductible health plans and their tax-advantaged savings accounts. The legislation"takes an impediment out of the way" for employers who want to improve their employees' primary care, said Jim Winkler, chief strategy officer for the Business Group on Health. "It certainly is helpful at a time when employers are very interested in that space." Driving the news: Starting next year, people who have a high-deductible plan and direct primary care membership through their workplace can contribute to an HSA. The ability to invest pre-tax dollars and spend them later on eligible health care expenses can lessen the burden of a large insurance deductible. About 21% of U.S. workers with employer-sponsored health insurance were enrolled in HSA-eligible high-deductible plans in 2024, according to KFF. Until now, the tax code disqualified people who use concierge care from contributing to an HSA. Employers are among those who advocated for the change, which had some bipartisan support, Winkler said. The bill also makes direct primary care membership fees an allowable HSA expense for people who don't get a subscription through their employer. The change opens the direct primary care market to more employers, said Rebecca Springer, director of market development at health care investment bank Bailey and Co. The share of employers offering direct primary care subscriptions grew a staggering 800% between 2017 and 2022, according to a report from direct care software platform Hint Health. Still, a relatively small number of employers offer direct primary care benefits. "It's certainly a tailwind for direct primary care," she added. Yes, but: There are still underlying challenges, tempering expectations of a big boost for the sector, she noted. Direct primary care is still a relatively small segment of health care, and it can be difficult to scale. It's also not very integrated with the broader health system. "What makes a direct primary care model really good for a patient is that they get to spend more time with the physician," Winkler said. Doctors also like the smaller patient loads. "Finding more primary care physicians — and we have a scarcity of that in our country — will be a challenge as this model grows," he said. "It's true of any version of advanced primary care that's rooted in how that physician spend more time with the patient." What we're watching: Whether more physicians start or join concierge care practices going forward. Many have been interested but hesitant to make the leap because until now, there hasn't been a clear financial incentive to help patients afford the services, which can cost up to $150 per month — on top of insurance premiums and specialist copays — for an individual under the new law, said Shawn Martin, CEO of the American Academy of Family Physicians. "Now that that exists, I think you'll see a lot more interest in the model," he said. AAFP's 2024 survey of doctors providing direct primary care found that 94% were satisfied with their overall practice, compared with 57% of doctors not practicing direct primary care.
