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Pharmacy middlemen sue to stop rebate transparency
An industry group representing powerful drug middlemen has gone to court to stop a federal rule intended to bring transparency to rebates middlemen get from manufacturers. The middlemen are arguing that the rule, initiated by the Trump administration, will increase drug costs. But the group’s critics say that secretive rebates are a primary driver of […]
More than a year later, no discipline for cop who pepper-sprayed journalists
More than a year later, no discipline for cop who pepper-sprayed journalists. Columbus police union said to be blocking investigation.
Big PBM decision undergoes its first test
The stakes appear to be pretty high. After a unanimous ruling in a related case in December, the U.S. Supreme Court has reopened a case regarding sweeping regulations of powerful middlemen known as pharmacy benefit managers — and 30 state attorneys general and many others are joining the fray. Pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, are […]
VP Harris says DNC will pour $25M into voting rights protection
WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris announced Thursday that the Democratic National Committee will spend $25 million to protect voting rights, in response to a wave of laws pushed by Republican lawmakers in state legislatures that would restrict voting access. The move comes after Democrats have been stymied in their attempts to enact a national […]
U.S. Supreme Court to hear HIV case with implications for Ohio, elsewhere
It’s a practice that’s already been called anti-competitive. Now the U.S. Supreme Court could rule on whether it discriminates against the disabled. The court last week agreed to review a case focused on whether actions of insurers and pharmacy middlemen discriminate against people with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The case is on appeal […]
Budget measure would undermine affordable housing for hundreds of thousands in Ohio, critics say
Scores of Ohio business and social service organizations are voicing opposition to a move by Senate President Matt Huffman to raise taxes on housing for the state’s poor. A spokesman for Huffman didn’t respond to a request for comment. But a measure that Huffman placed in the state budget would require county auditors to value […]
Federal regulator’s oversight of the drug supply chain blasted — by one of the regulators
One of two federal agencies tasked with policing anticompetitive behavior among corporations last week said it has a lot more work to do when it comes to the prescription-drug supply chain. One of the members of the Federal Trade Commission went even further. He suggested the agency has abdicated its responsibility as drug prices have […]
House Republicans pitch $1,000 bonus for cops, EMS, firefighters
Ohio House Republicans announced Wednesday a proposal pay $1,000 bonuses to police, firefighters, and EMS workers. Relief dollars from the American Rescue Plan, President Joe Biden’s signature COVID-19 economic relief package, would pay for the checks. The plan at large would cost about $83 million, the sponsors said. Rep. Craig Riedel, R-Defiance, said at a […]
Ohio’s unvaccinated might be in as much danger now as they were in February. But state officials can’t directly track them
More than 5 million Ohioans have started getting vaccinated against the coronavirus — and a few lucky ones will win a million bucks or a free ride to college for doing so. That has overall disease, hospitalization and death numbers plummeting as Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine ends covid restrictions on Wednesday. But the 64% of […]
Reliance on community block grants formula leads to uneven rescue plan funds for cities
During the past few decades in Ohio, as the population of Columbus has surpassed Cleveland as the largest city in the state, there have been comparisons made between the two cities on many levels. Which is better, which is worse, which is moving up, which is moving down. Many of those questions surfaced when the […]
Antitrust concerns are increasing on Capitol Hill. Advocates say they should extend to drug pricing
Antitrust concerns are increasing on Capitol Hill. Advocates say they should extend to drug pricing.
Eleven generic versions of an HIV drug rush onto the market… and list prices go up
The health care system is supposed to incentivize the development of wonder drugs and then apply market forces to squeeze prices to a minimum. But a new report shows how at least for one drug, incentivizing is working a lot better than price-squeezing. At least when insurance is involved. For example, Blueberry Pharmacy in the […]