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The Premier healthcare alliance and its members applaud the House of Representatives for advancing legislation that will help lower the cost of prescription drugs for consumers. The two bills approved by the House today and approved by the Senate earlier this month (S. 2553 and S. 2554) would ban ‘gag clauses’ that prevent pharmacists from informing patients that their prescription drugs and biologics could cost less if purchased without insurance. These practices are an information and access barrier and result in patients paying more than necessary for their medications. Patients should know all of their medication payment options so that they can make the most informed financial and personal choice for their treatments.
Premier further applauds the inclusion of provisions that would require the reporting of patent disputes and settlements between biologic and biosimilar manufacturers to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Some manufacturers seek to delay the availability of biosimilars in the marketplace beyond market exclusivity granted under the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act (BPCIA). Modernizing reporting requirements for biologics to align with existing reporting requirements for small-molecular drugs will help thwart this anti-competitive behavior. These provisions are critical to decreasing the cost of healthcare through the creation of a more competitive biosimilars marketplace in the United States.
Premier is pleased that this legislation was moved forward on an aggressive timetable and encourages signature by the President.
-By Blair Childs, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs at Premier
Contact: Public_Relations@premierinc.com