| | | | |  | | By Lauren Gardner and David Lim | | | With Megan R. Wilson
| | |  As Medicare drug price negotiations are underway, President Joe Biden wants Americans to know he's committed to lowering drug prices. | Andreas Rentz/Getty Images | Getty | BIDEN GEARS UP FOR SOTU — President Joe Biden wants voters to know that he and his fellow Democrats continue to target high drug prices as he gears up for reelection — and Thursday’s State of the Union address. The president underscored his commitment to lower drug prices Monday when the White House announced that every maker of the first 10 drugs selected for Medicare price negotiations rejected his administration’s opening bids. All nine companies responded with counteroffers, which will initiate a series of meetings this summer to reach an agreement. The rejections come “in the face of attacks from Big Pharma in the courts and from Republicans in Congress who continue to try to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, which would keep seniors on Medicare from benefiting from these lower cost drugs,” Biden said in a statement. Drug pricing experts said the drugmakers’ move was expected and creates an opportunity for Biden to campaign on his administration’s landmark health policy achievement. “Voters are still in the dark about all these accomplishments to address drug costs,” said Larry Levitt, executive vice president at KFF. “So I would expect the administration to look for any opportunity to remind voters.” Health care competition: During Thursday's speech, Biden plans to debut a federal task force targeting health care costs, POLITICO's Josh Sisco, Adam Cancryn and Megan R. Wilson report. Industry still fighting: The pharma industry is in the midst of several lawsuits filed against the Medicare negotiations, which the suits claim are unconstitutional. But HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra defended the process Monday as “good-faith, upfront negotiations.” “We are committed to constructive dialogue and are glad the drug companies are coming to the table,” Becerra said. Most drugmakers did not respond to requests for comment about their counteroffers, but Novo Nordisk and Boehringer Ingelheim said they had no comment. IT’S TUESDAY. WELCOME BACK TO PRESCRIPTION PULSE. Lauren will be in Trenton, New Jersey, on Thursday, covering the latest arguments in several Medicare drug price cases. Let her know if you’ll be there, too! Send news and tips to Lauren Gardner (lgardner@politico.com or @Gardner_LM) or David Lim (dlim@politico.com or @davidalim).
| | DON’T MISS POLITICO’S HEALTH CARE SUMMIT: The stakes are high as America's health care community strives to meet the evolving needs of patients and practitioners, adopt new technologies and navigate skeptical public attitudes toward science. Join POLITICO’s annual Health Care Summit on March 13 where we will discuss the future of medicine, including the latest in health tech, new drugs and brain treatments, diagnostics, health equity, workforce strains and more. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | A message from Better Medicare Alliance: Over 32 million seniors choose Medicare Advantage for its affordable, high-quality care. In fact, beneficiaries see an average of $2,400 in savings annually and utilize preventive care services at higher rates. Millions of seniors rely on a strong and stable Medicare Advantage program to get the care they need when they need it. Learn more about the impact of Medicare Advantage. | | | | | | | 
Billionaire Mark Cuban, who founded an online pharmacy, attended a White House session Monday about the practices of pharmacy benefit managers. But no PBMs, to their chagrin, were invited to the meeting. | Mark Schiefelbein/AP | PBM FOES IN FOCUS — The White House heard Monday from a cadre of government and industry critics of the conventional pharmacy benefits management system — another set of drumbeats in state and federal efforts to take aim at the business practices of the pharma industry middlemen. Notably absent from the event were the largest PBMs — UnitedHealth Group’s OptumRx, CVS Health’s Caremark and Cigna’s Express Scripts — and a trade group for the industry, the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association. An event “where policymakers only hear from people and groups with vocal anti-PBM agendas will make for a biased and unproductive discussion,” PCMA said in a statement. Gearing up: Investor Mark Cuban’s online prescription drug and pharmacy outfit, which circumvents PBMs, will soon make sterile-injectable drugs like epinephrine that have been in short supply, Cost Plus Drugs co-founder Alex Oshmyansky said Monday after the meeting with the White House. Cuban’s company aims to offer customers lower prices and make available some drugs in persistent shortage. Commercial production of epinephrine and norepinephrine — used to reverse allergic reactions or increase blood pressure after heart attacks — will begin this week, Oshmyansky said, with pediatric chemotherapy drugs next in line.
| | | | CONGRESS OVERDRIVE: Since day one, POLITICO has been laser-focused on Capitol Hill, serving up the juiciest Congress coverage. Now, we’re upping our game to ensure you’re up to speed and in the know on every tasty morsel and newsy nugget from inside the Capitol Dome, around the clock. Wake up, read Playbook AM, get up to speed at midday with our Playbook PM halftime report, and fuel your nightly conversations with Inside Congress in the evening. Plus, never miss a beat with buzzy, real-time updates throughout the day via our Inside Congress Live feature. Learn more and subscribe here. | | | | | | | | | OTC BIRTH CONTROL TOO PRICEY? The first FDA-approved over-the-counter birth control pill will be available in stores and pharmacies later this month, manufacturer Perrigo said Monday, but contraception advocates are concerned the pills will be too expensive for some intended customers. Opill’s suggested retail price is $19.99 for a one-month supply, $49.99 for a three-month pack and $89.99 for a six-month supply. Retailers set their own prices but typically hew toward what a manufacturer suggests. Yes, but: Birth control advocates applauded the pills’ launch but cautioned that low-income and young people will have trouble accessing them at those price points. “We did a lot of research, listened to a lot of consumers and outside perspectives and really crafted our pricing strategy with all consumers in mind,” Triona Schmelter, Perrigo’s executive vice president and president for its domestic consumer business, told Prescription Pulse. When asked about criticism of the suggested prices, Schmelter pointed to the company’s forthcoming cost-assistance program, which will help low-income, uninsured consumers access Opill at low or no cost. As of now, the program will be available only via the Opill website, and it’s unclear whether young people who are still on their parents’ insurance plans but want to avoid using the coverage would qualify. A Perrigo spokesperson said the program is designed for the uninsured, but eligibility will be determined on an individual basis. Location, location, location: Consumers will be able to find Opill in retailers in all 50 states and Washington, Schmelter said.
| | | | A message from Better Medicare Alliance:   | | | | | TENTATIVE FDA FUNDING DEAL — Lawmakers unveiled the text of a deal to fund the government Sunday that would give the FDA $6.72 billion in fiscal 2024 funding for the agency — a number that includes $3.52 billion in discretionary funding. The totals set off alarms for FDA watchers who said the agency is being asked to do more with little to no funding increases over previous levels. “In the balance of this fiscal year, FDA will face the challenges of absorbing mandatory pay increases and meeting various Congressional priorities and public expectations,” the Alliance for a Stronger FDA said in a statement. “Requiring FDA to do a lot more for the same funding is not a recipe for success.” The spending deal — expected to be passed later this week by the House and Senate — directs $7 million toward cosmetics oversight and $1.5 million toward efforts to reduce reliance on animal testing. It also provides $50 million for the 21st Century Cures Act, which aims to promote biomedical research across federal agencies.
| | | Dr. Joseph Kanter will become CEO of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials next month. He joins the group from the Louisiana Department of Health.
| | | | DON’T MISS POLITICO’S HEALTH CARE SUMMIT: The stakes are high as America's health care community strives to meet the evolving needs of patients and practitioners, adopt new technologies and navigate skeptical public attitudes toward science. Join POLITICO’s annual Health Care Summit on March 13 where we will discuss the future of medicine, including the latest in health tech, new drugs and brain treatments, diagnostics, health equity, workforce strains and more. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | | | Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is pressing drugmaker GSK over the price of its authorized generic for its Flovent HFA inhaler used to treat asthma and the company’s decision to cease marketing of the branded product. GSK spokesperson Lyndsay Meyer said the company received the letter and will respond.
| | | | A message from Better Medicare Alliance: Medicare Advantage enables widespread access to care, supplemental benefits, and high-quality treatment with better outcomes. As seniors' healthcare needs and costs continue to increase, it is crucial to account for these ongoing trends to ensure the stability and continuity of their care. Let's keep Medicare Advantage strong and stable for the millions of seniors who rely on it. Learn more about the impact of Medicare Advantage. | | | | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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