The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has proposed cutting Medicare payments for drugs purchased under the 340B Drug Pricing Program in its 2027 rule, reigniting a long-standing dispute between safety-net hospitals and federal regulators over the program designed to help vulnerable populations access medications.
The Trump administration has proposed a new regulation through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services targeting hospitals in the 340B Drug Pricing Program, aiming to prevent markups on discounted drugs for Medicare patients and potentially save consumers $1.1 billion next year.
CVS Health's Caremark pharmacy benefits unit reached a settlement with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to curb controversial rebate practices in the pharmacy benefits market. The agreement requires Caremark to count consumer purchases from Trump's TrumpRx program toward insurance deductibles, mirroring a similar settlement previously reached with Cigna.
A Harvard-backed study found that the Inflation Reduction Act's drug provisions are helping Medicare beneficiaries stay on their medications. However, the reforms have not yet reduced overall healthcare costs or financial anxiety for beneficiaries.
